


How Monsters Are Made

by Skippyin, TFLatte



Series: Tales of the Stateran Forest (Monster AU) [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Found Family, Other, Stolen Century Spoilers, implied/referenced emotional neglect, it's fine tho you know how i am it's all good in the end, monster au, the standard angus backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 09:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 52,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11529411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skippyin/pseuds/Skippyin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFLatte/pseuds/TFLatte
Summary: There are stories about what lives in the Stateran Forest, and they all say "monsters." Angus McDonald looks for the truth of them, and finds a family.





	1. Monster Mash

**Author's Note:**

> For the last two days [Skippyin](http://skippyin.tumblr.com/) and I have been building a monster family AU and this is the result. There is a lot to come and I'm so excited to share this, you guys, you don't even know.
> 
> edit: Skippy made a cover!
> 
>  
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157001558@N08/35873655001/in/dateposted-public/)  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skippy did title cards for each chapter, so I'm editing to add them all! (They're a little on the large side, so scroll to see the whole thing!)
> 
>  

Angus McDonald bolted through the Stateran Forest, sobbing for breath as a giant chimera chased him. The beast ran in near-silence, the only sound it made the underbrush around it crashing back from its bulk. Fire erupted over Angus’ head and he yelped, ducking away from the heat and stumbling. His legs and his lungs burned and he scrambled into a stand of closely-grown trees and prayed it would slow the chimera down long enough for him to lose it, or climb a tree, or _something_.

To his surprise, the chimera’s sounds began to grow fainter, until he couldn’t hear it anymore, and when Angus risked a glance over his shoulder through cracked glasses, he didn’t see anything. With no idea how far he had to go to escape its territory, though, Angus kept running until his legs finally gave out, and he stumbled and fell, scraping his hands and knees on the forest floor. A distant roar made him scramble to the dubious shelter of a cluster of tree roots, and with some effort he managed to squeeze his small frame underneath them and huddled there, panting and trembling in the dim light that reached the forest floor.

As his breath came back he began to count seconds. He’d almost reached 250 when a deep shadow fell over him, accompanied by a low growl. He looked up into three sets of eyes, all fixed on him. Then a massive paw tore at the roots shielding him, and Angus flattened himself against the ground and _screamed_.

“Help, someone, anyone-”A claw snagged his already-torn vest and ripped another slash in it. “ _Help me_!”

Angus’ life didn’t flash before his eyes as the dragon head’s jaws seized a root and tore it back, but for half a second he wondered if anyone would ever know what happened to him.

Then came a thundering rumble and crashing trees, and something blotted out even the faint light that reached the Stateran’s floor. The chimera looked up and snarled in two voices. It snapped with all three heads as something huge and hairy shoved it, and a deep voice grunted. The thing – a giant foot, Angus realized – shook sharply and knocked the chimera away. Its owner shifted and a beam of light illuminated its face, one eye cloudy and sightless.

Angus whimpered faintly, and the monster’s good eye found him. It looked like a giant humanoid bear covered in scars, an old red bandana tied around its neck and an enormous ax carried in one paw. He’d never even heard of anything like this before – a magical mutation, maybe? But the ax was metal – where would it have even learned to make that? There were no giants anywhere near the Stateran that could have made a weapon so huge.

It bent down and Angus didn’t have time to run before it pried back his cover and picked him up, cupping him in one massive hand – paw? – as it stood again. Angus grabbed instinctively at the claw nearest him to steady himself, and then pulled back as he realized it was bigger than he was.

The chimera pushed itself back to its feet and screeched fury at the bear-monster for stealing its prize, wings spreading as it crouched to lunge.

“Hey! No. Bad chimera.” The bear-monster pointed the ax warningly, holding Angus in the air away from it. The chimera leapt for it – or for Angus – and the bear swatted it back to the ground. “Down! Down. Not yours.”

It was, Angus thought dazedly, a surprisingly _human_ way to talk.

The angry chimera snarled louder and backed up a few steps, then opened its dragon jaws and let loose a burst of flame. The bear-monster twisted, putting its back to the chimera and shielding Angus, then grunted as the chimera’s full weight landed on its back, clawing and snapping. The bear-monster pulled Angus close to its chest and twisted to slam back against a tree, knocking the chimera off it, and whirled to bring down the flat of its ax onto the beast. It took a step back and watched the chimera, which didn’t move even when prodded with the ax. Angus would’ve thought the bear had killed it if he couldn’t see its chest moving.

Then the giant bear turned its attention back to him and Angus flinched, covering his eyes – he didn’t want to see the teeth, didn’t want to know what was coming-

“No manners, am I right?”

After a moment, Angus looked up.

The bear was watching him, grinning cheerfully – that was _too many teeth_ – but it made no move to eat him. Putting its ax on its back, it made an encouraging gesture at him. “See, the way talking works is, I say something, and then you answer.”

Angus, for once dumbstruck, just nodded. The bear sighed, then shifted to hold him against its chest and steadied him with the other hand as it started to walk, leaving the unconscious chimera behind.

That startled Angus back to speech. “Wait! Where are you taking me?” For a second he thought to run for it, but one look at the distance to the ground changed his mind.

“Well, I’m not gonna just leave a little kid out here, there’s monsters all over the place.” The bear looked down at him and grinned another grin that bared too many teeth, too close for comfort. “Relax, you’re too small to eat!” He laughed. Angus smiled weakly. He was pretty sure that was a goof, but coming from a giant bear it was hard to tell if it was a good thing. Who knew anything about bear humor?

Well, bears did, probably.

“Name’s Magnus, by the way. Magnus ‘The Hammer’ Burnsides.” The bear – Magnus – puffed out his chest.

Angus, manners shaky on the situation of giant bears but pretty solid on introductions, nodded. “It’s, uh, nice to meet you Mr. Burnsides sir, I’m Angus McDonald but really just Angus.” He paused, then added, “Thank you for saving me, I wasn’t expecting a bear man to help me but I do appreciate not being eaten. By anyone. Sir.” He dared to watch to see how Magnus took that.

“Anytime.” Magnus waved his free hand dismissively. “Seriously though, no one’s going to eat you, we don’t eat people.”

Angus snorted quietly. “The chimera sure had me fooled.”

“No, no, not that. That was definitely going to eat you. I meant me and my friends. You’ll meet them once we get there.”

“Once we get where?”

“Home, duh, where else?”

Angus cast another nervous look at the distant ground and hoped none of Magnus’ “friends” had a taste for people either.

* * *

 An area the size of a small village had been cleared among the trees, and seven enormous structures filled up most of that space, made out of what appeared to be nearly-whole trees and looking simple but solidly built. As Magnus got closer, Angus could see that the shelters had been scaled to around Magnus-size, and his first thought was _a village of bear-monsters!_

Then Magnus called out “Hey guys, I’m back!” and two heads poked out a window.

“Hey Maggie! You gonna tell us why you’ve been weird all morning yet or what?” the blue one called. The pink one pulled back and came out the front door, while the blue one just climbed nimbly through the window, using his tail to steady himself as he landed.

Angus stared. He’d never even heard of monsters like these, not in any textbook or adventure story he’d ever read. They looked almost like giant tieflings, but the blue one’s horns were lined up vertically and his ears were more elflike, poking up through a hat that Angus could have stood up underneath with room to spare. The pink one looked nearly identical to him, but rather than horns she had a pair of wings with feathers the color of fire. Both had an ethereal sort of glow to them.

“Okay, so, you’re never going to guess what I just did.” Angus looked back up at Magnus to see another broad grin.

“Did you wrestle the lake monster again? Your pants are way too ripped for comfort, my dude, if I have to see your bear ass again I’m gonna-”

“Whatcha got there, Maggie?” The blue monster had taken notice of Magnus’ cupped hands, and blinked out of sight, appearing just as suddenly behind him and levitating to lean over his shoulder. “ _Oh holy fuck_. Hey Lup, Magnus stole a baby!”

“You what?” The pink monster – Lup, apparently – darted across the intervening space and leaned over to see. “Magnus, you like, know that we’re not supposed to be the baby-stealing kind of monster, right? Like, that’s not a thing.”

“I didn’t steal him!” Magnus protested, at the same time as Angus’ indignant, automatic “I’m not a baby! I’m ten years old!”

“Guys, what’s going on out there?” Out of another door leaned another monster, one who looked like just a winged skeleton in robes, eyes pitch-black hollows. Angus thought of the death omens that people saw lurking around the Stateran and swallowed nervously, pressing a little closer into Magnus’ chest.

“Babe, Magnus stole a kid,” Lup called.

The skeleton emerged from the door to join the group. “I don’t know why I’m surprised, but Magnus, why?”

“Okay, first, I didn’t steal him, I fought a chimera for him-”

“-so you stole him from a chimera-”

“-second, I wasn’t about to just leave a kid out there for something _else_ to eat, what do you take me for?” Magnus paused. “Also other reasons.” Before Angus could speak up another voice joined the chorus.

“Magnus, did you have to bring a human _here_? Was that really necessary?” This monster looked almost human, if Angus ignored her size, but her dark skin was speckled with moon-white dots in places and her face was an impassive mask he could see her eyes through.

“It kind of was, actually. Listen, do you know where Davenport and Merle are? I figure we should introduce him to everyone at once, I-”

“Hold on, introduce him?” The blue monster’s tail swished, catlike. “It’s not like he’ll remember any of this, let’s just go get Fisher and wrap this up.” Angus didn’t like the sound of that.

“They’re on their way, I heard the commotion and I thought you’d probably want them, so I gave them a call.” The masked monster shifted the book in her hand to the crook of her arm.

“You are literally the best person ever,” Magnus told her, and though the mask didn’t move she chuckled and gave him a mock salute.

“Finally, a little appreciation.” She looked down at Angus again, pinpricks of white against the dark eyes focusing on him. “Does this have anything to do with how you locked yourself inside all morning?”

“Maybe.” Magnus drew the word out.

“Magnus! The hell did you do now?” Angus’ shoulders sagged with relief as everyone’s attention was drawn away from him. Around a corner came two more monsters. One looked like a giant dwarf made of wood and vines, leaves and shoots and flowers sprouting and budding all over, especially where hair should have been. The other looked like – well, nothing. For a second Angus thought it was a cloud of smoke, but it was surrounded by a red jacket and as it approached, it formed into a roughly humanoid shape, although it kept billowing and changing – claws, tendrils, wings, they kept forming and collapsing back into the basic form.

Magnus held Angus out towards them. “Okay, so, this is Angus. I found him being attacked by a chimera and rescued him, like you do.”

“Like _you_ do, maybe,” muttered the blue monster, and Lup elbowed him. Magnus nodded thanks to her before continuing.

“And, I mean, I couldn’t just leave him after that, you know? So I brought him back here. We can at least look after him-”

“Magnus,” interrupted the smoke monster. “You know what I’m going to tell you already, I don’t – I don’t know why this had to get this far.” A face formed to frown at him.

“I know, I know, but listen – I’m not kidding, this is important, I’ll explain later. But we can’t just leave the kid to fend for himself, look at him.” Angus folded his arms tight against his chest, shoulders hunching under seven stares. He knew he wasn’t really what his parents would call presentable, but it seemed rude to call attention to it.

Magnus continued. “Listen, we can talk about this later, but right now can’t we at least help him out? He’s a mess – no offense,” he added to Angus, who frowned.

The smoke monster looked at Angus for a few seconds, then sighed. “We _are_ going to discuss this tonight. But – I guess a day won’t hurt. Fisher can handle that much if it comes to it.”

“Yes!” Magnus pumped a fist and Angus instinctively ducked away as it came down. Finally, his frayed patience snapped.

“Then can you all stop talking about me like I’m not here now, sirs, ma’ams?” A sudden knot of regret settled in his stomach as all seven monsters looked back down at him, and he couldn’t quite read any of their expressions. Lup looked over at the skeleton monster and raised an eyebrow, ears twitching. Angus cast a longing look at the ground, where he wasn’t literally in the hands of the biggest being he’d ever seen.

“I guess if he’s gonna be sleeping over we’ll have to talk to him eventually,” Lup remarked, and then she was in front of him again, grinning and leaning down to bring her to eye level as a startled Angus leaned backwards. “So, I’m Lup. That’s Taako-”she jerked a thumb towards the blue monster, “and Barry,” towards the skeleton monster, who gave him a little wave.

“Oh, thanks, Lup, what if I wanted to introduce myself to the kid?” Taako was still leaning on Magnus' shoulder.

Lup made a cheerfully rude gesture at Taako before continuing. “You already met Magnus. This is Lucretia,” she motioned to the masked monster, who nodded politely to him. “Professor Oak over there is Merle, and that’s Davenport.”

Angus blinked a few times, though he committed the names to memory and nodded. “Thank you, ma’am. I’m Angus McDonald.”

“Angus, what were you doing out here in the Stateran anyway? It’s a dangerous place for adventurers, never mind children.” Lucretia watched him intently, though at least she didn’t seem to feel the need to come as close as Lup did.

Angus hesitated. “I got lost,” he said after a moment. “And I wanted to find out more about the forest, so I decided to explore in it.”

Lucretia eyed him for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”

Magnus lifted Angus up to his eye level, and Angus squeaked at the sudden motion. “Alright, we better get you cleaned up and everything – uh, do you have spare clothes or something?”

Angus glanced down at his outfit, torn and stained and muddy all over, and shook his head. “No, they were in my bag.”

“…so where’s your bag?”

Angus looked down. “I don’t know. I was sleeping and someone stole it.” He’d woken up with a dawning horror and nothing left but the clothes he wore.

“Okay, well, Taako, can you-”

“Fuck, fine, if you’re gonna bug me about it. Gimme that.” Taako reached up and plucked Angus out of Magnus’ hand, and Angus found himself spun around dizzyingly, Taako lifting one of his arms out and peering at it before finally stopping, and Angus, held loosely in one hand, reached up to feel that his glasses were still on his face. “Hm.” Taako lifted his free hand and tapped the glasses, knocking them askew, then plopped him back into Magnus’ outstretched hand and sauntered off. “I’m not cooking tonight, Lup, that’s on you,” he called. Lup flipped him off. Taako flipped her off without even looking back.

“Bath time!” Magnus announced cheerfully, striding away as the rest of the monsters dispersed. Angus, fixing his glasses, realized that the crack in the lens was gone.

* * *

The bath was kind of an adventure, given that the tub had obviously been sized for the monsters, and not a human boy. Magnus had also presented him with the tub full of bubble bath that reached several feet high, and had to clear a space in the bubbles for Angus.

The water was warm, though, and Angus scrubbed his hair three times before he was satisfied. It was very nice to be clean again. Once he’d had enough – and had pruned so much he thought he might be able to climb walls – Magnus returned to bundle him into a massive, fluffy towel.

“It’s Lucretia’s,” he explained as Angus peeked out from the soft folds. He’d also brought fresh clothes that looked pretty much like Angus’ old ones, but as he pulled them on he found a little star charm attached to one pocket. The star was a perfect match for the one on his training wand. The wand was also with the pile of clothes, and Angus slipped the lanyard over his head with a pang of relief. He didn’t really know any combat cantrips, but it was comforting to have anyway.

Once he emerged, feeling a little braver, Magnus brought him to one of the shelters. It wasn’t much inside, but it was warm, and on the floor in one corner was a gigantic pillow, a large square of cloth spread across it, and a neatly arranged sandwich, protected from the floor by the torn corner of a giant piece of paper. The sandwich wouldn’t have made even a bite for Magnus, but Angus needed both hands and a good bit of his boy strength to pick it up.

On the other hand, being on the floor reminded him just how big Magnus was, and he retreated with his dinner onto the pillow, where he wasn’t as easily lost from sight against the ground.

Magnus gave him another toothy grin. “Just stay put here and get some sleep.”

“What about in the morning? Who’s Fisher, and why do people keep talking about them in relation to me?” It hadn’t sounded like anyone was going to eat him, but Angus was still pretty sure it was a possibility.

The grin faded. “Fisher’s another friend of mine, you’ll meet them later. Don’t worry about it, alright? Eat and go to bed. It’s all good.” With that Magnus left Angus to his own devices. Angus watched and considered following, but his stomach growled loudly and he decided food came first. You couldn’t do sneaky detective work with a noisy stomach.

Once he’d eaten as much as he could, though, Angus’ attention returned to the door. He slid off the pillow and crept towards it, pressed against the rough wall in case anyone came back. The door wasn’t nearly flush with the ground, and at its relative size Angus could crawl underneath easily. It had gotten dark, but he could see light from another one of the shelters. He dashed across the space between and crept under this door before he could lose his nerve in the darkness.

Inside, scale saved him once again. The seven monsters were all gathered around a table. Davenport was standing on it at the head of the table, and at the other end Merle was sitting on a platform of wood and vines growing from the ground that lifted him up to the same level as everyone else. The rest were all seated around it in more normal chairs, and nobody thought to look down and see Angus as he crouched just inside the door, against the wall.

“We’re not babysitters, just have Fisher wipe his mind and send him home,” Merle snapped, glaring across the table at Barry. “Why are we even arguing about this? We don’t need some kid wandering around getting underfoot.”

“ _Literally_ underfoot,” Davenport added. “Humans are fragile, any one of us could kill him without even meaning to. We have our own duties, and we’re protecting people by attending to them – not by keeping stray humans in dangerous places. Angus would be better off back with his own family.”

Angus shrank at that.

Lup shook her head. “Listen, yeah of course we have to keep doing what we do, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have room for a little normal compassion! Who lets their kid go wandering into fuckin’ Monster Woods? Shitty people, that’s who.”

“Lulu, come on, do you wanna be dealing with a little kid all the time? I mean, I don’t! They’re messy and annoying and gross, I don’t want some kid crying all over my stuff or whatever.” Taako leaned back in the chair, propping his feet on the table. Lup gave him a look and flicked a finger, creating a small illusory star charm above it as she stared at Taako, who glared back.

“I mean, Lup has a point.” Barry drummed his fingers on the table. “Have we ever seen anyone other than adventurers come so deep into the forest? People don’t get that lost in a few hours, not so lost that they meet _chimeras_.”

Lucretia looked at Magnus. “You’ve been quiet since we got here. Is there something you want to share with the group, Magnus?”

Magnus leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table. “Listen. I woke up at ass o’clock in the morning today to a fucking vision-blizzard. It’s one of _those_ days.” Angus heard Taako mutter a surprised “ _shit_ ” before Magnus continued. “And guess who they were all about? Angus. A lot of things could come out of what we do tonight, but you need to know before we decide: Barry’s right, nobody gets that lost, and so is Lup. Angus didn’t just get lost, he _ran away_. For good reason. And I can’t see everything that might happen, but I’m not liking what I see if we send him back.”

There was a long moment of silence. Angus frowned. From his angle, he couldn’t see Magnus, but he sounded a whole lot more serious than he had all day. The others were all looking at one another.

“What about what you see if we don’t?” Davenport finally said.

“That goes a lot of ways, and that could go real bad too, I’m not saying it won’t. But I like the odds a lot more on that side.”

“You seriously think things are going to go better with us in charge of a kid?” Merle snorted. “Who have you been living with all these years?”

“That’s enough – even though I don’t really disagree with you, Merle.” Davenport sighed. “We’ll put it to a vote. Everyone for sending Angus back?” Merle’s hand went up. Davenport’s smoke billowed upward. Nobody else moved. “Everyone for letting him stay?” Lup’s hand shot up, and Barry’s followed suit. Taako groaned dramatically, letting his head fall back, and lazily raised his own hand. Lucretia lifted hers and, from how she glanced over to the side, Angus guessed Magnus did too.

Davenport frowned. “The ayes have it, I guess. I hope you’re right about this, Magnus.”

“I’ve never been wrong in my life.”

“You’ve been wrong three times since you woke up this morning,” Lucretia observed, to a ripple of chuckles from the others and what sounded like a raspberry from Magnus.

“Anyway, I’m glad,” Magnus remarked as Angus began to creep back to the door to sneak away. “It’d probably be rude to vote to kick him out when he’s right by the door.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Skippy's designs for the monsters, plus comparison to a normal human and to everyone's favorite boy. (He's _tiny_.)
> 
>  
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157001558@N08/35171152803/in/dateposted-public/)  
> 


	2. +1 Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The monsters' camp isn't quite the kind of experience Angus expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this got...WAY out of hand...oops?

Angus swallowed nervously as all seven monsters stared down at him. For a few seconds, nobody spoke. Then the floodgates opened. 

"I'm sorry I know you told me to stay put but you were going to talk about me so I had to know what you were going to do and-" Angus broke off as Lucretia stood up. He took a step backwards, wondering how quickly they could follow if he ran away, but she just crouched down and held out a hand, palm up. 

"Come here – please," she added. "We can't exactly talk to you with you all the way down there, right?" Her voice was gentle, at odds with the blank, fixed expression she wore. When Angus hesitated, she added "Nobody's going to hurt you, okay? Even if we decided you couldn't stay we wouldn't do that." Finally, slowly, Angus stepped forward and she helped him onto her offered hand, then stood up slowly and put him on the table.

Angus glanced around, trying to gauge what they were thinking. Davenport only occasionally had a face, but it was definitely frowning when he did. Merle scowled when he saw Angus looking and Angus averted his eyes quickly. Taako and Lup had both propped their chins on their hands, elbows resting on the table, but Lup was grinning. Barry’s face was nearly as impossible to read as Lucretia’s, but he looked intently at Angus. Magnus had leaned back in his chair and looked distinctly pleased.

Davenport sighed and rubbed his face, the smoke of his hand merging briefly into it before he put his hand down. “Okay. This is what we’re going to do.” He looked at Angus, and Angus mustered his courage and met his gaze. “Angus, we can’t have anyone telling the world about us. But we also can’t make you stay here-”Taako snorted, and Davenport gave him a look. Angus had to agree with the sentiment, though, and it must have shown on his face, because Davenport looked back at him and amended. “We _won’t_ make you stay if you don’t want to. We can take you to the edge of the forest and you can leave safely.”

“You won’t remember any of this,” Barry added. “You’ll just have gotten lost for a while and then found your way out. That’s it.”

Angus bit his lip. The sensible thing would’ve been to leave, right now, before the monsters could change their minds. But – there were dozens of tales about the Stateran and what lived in it, hundreds of theories about why it was the way it was. It was the greatest mystery in Faerun – and Angus was standing in the middle of an opportunity to solve that mystery once and for all.

He looked around at them all again and squared his shoulders. “I want to stay.”

* * *

 Magnus had escorted Angus back to bed after he’d made his decision. This time Angus obediently crawled under the covers and curled up, and he hardly had time to take his glasses off before he fell asleep.

In the morning he was woken by Magnus’ heavy footsteps moving around, and lay perfectly still as they passed him, cracking an eye to peek out as he heard the door open. He could just barely see Magnus step outside, but he paused and leaned back in to look at Angus. When a few seconds passed and Angus didn’t move, Magnus left, and Angus relaxed.

It wasn’t long until he became aware of the ache in his legs. He’d done a lot of running yesterday, and it had finally caught up with him. For a while he tried not to move and aggravate it, but finally he gave up and grabbed his glasses. When Magnus came back, he found Angus sitting up and rubbing his legs, still yawning.

“Hey, you’re awake! Come on, you missed breakfast but I saved you some.” Without waiting for an answer Magnus reached for him, and Angus recoiled with a squeak. “Hey, hey, take it easy, it’s fine. I carried you around yesterday, didn’t I? I’m not gonna hurt you.” Angus just nodded, still tense, but he sat still and let Magnus pick him up. He was surprisingly gentle, given that he was a twenty-foot-tall bear, but Angus kept glancing at the giant claws around him and thinking of cage bars.

The food was unexpectedly normal – and delicious – too, though when Angus gave the chunk of meat an uncertain look Taako informed him it was owlbear, and Magnus jumped gleefully into the story of how he’d caught it. He might have liked the story better if the two of them hadn’t kept _looking_ at him, and he kept having to remind himself that he wanted to stay, and besides if they’d wanted to hurt him they probably would have already.

Once he finished, Magnus left him on the ground with a cheerful “don’t leave camp!” and strolled off, ax in hand. Angus, left to his own devices, decided he might as well channel his inner Caleb Cleveland and learn the lay of the land. He stuck close to the structures around him when he could, on the basis that it would be easier to avoid being stepped on there.

He counted seven shelters, and he would’ve thought each of them had one, but the seventh was much bigger, and with a little mental calculation Angus realized it was the one he’d snuck into to spy on their meeting. It certainly hadn’t looked like anything slept in there, and he wondered if instead some of them shared, or maybe slept somewhere else? Barry was a skeleton, maybe he didn’t sleep at all, or maybe Lup liked to sleep in trees? He wished he could ask.

There was a circle of huge stones in the center of the clearing, and after looking both ways to make sure nobody was walking nearby Angus crossed over to it. He could climb without too much effort onto one of the stones, and found a deep pit on the other side. From where he was standing, he could see ashes and scorchmarks in the middle, and he had just carried that thought through to the conclusion of “firepit” when something poked him from behind.

Angus squeaked as he spun around to find Taako standing there, and Taako tilted his head thoughtfully. “Funny, I would’ve sworn you were the scream-like-a-little-girl type. Oh well.”

Heart still racing, Angus frowned. “Very funny, sir.”

“I’m a real riot.” Taako either didn’t notice Angus’ tone, or, probably more likely, wasn’t bothered by it, and looked past him to the pit. “Hey, good thing you didn’t fall, huh? That would’ve been nasty.” His tone was, in Angus’ opinion, much more flippant than the situation warranted. “Anyway, just telling you, don’t mess with anything you find, some of it might explode!” Without waiting for Angus to respond, he blinked out of sight. Angus climbed down and waited a bit to see if he’d reappear in the Squishing Danger Zone, and when he didn’t, returned to his exploration. He wasn’t sure if that explosion comment had been a joke or not, but he kept his hands to himself just in case.

A few days in, Angus was starting to get a handle on his new roommates. Magnus was boisterous and didn’t seem bothered by much, but he got noisily offended when one of the twins would pick on him, even when he was laughing along. The twins tended to gravitate either to one another or to one of the other monsters – usually Barry, in Lup’s case, and he’d finally figured out that they were the two who shared a building. Barry didn’t talk to Angus much – once he’d picked him up and held too tight, and when Angus had wriggled he’d let go without thinking, though to his credit he’d proven he could cast Levitate faster than Angus had thought possible. After that he’d let Angus be. Merle took it a step further, ostentatiously ignoring Angus and grumbling noisily about snotty kids. Davenport was polite, more so than any of the others, but distant. Lucretia was unfailingly polite too, but in a warmer sort of way, though it was hard for him to tell with her mask-face.

All in all, he’d met worse people, but then, those had at least been _normal_ people. He’d always worried about being underfoot, but it had never been quite so literal before.

* * *

 The monsters tended to leave their doors open during the day, wandering in and out to look for one another or talk or, in some cases, just to come hassle someone.

Angus wandered down the camp, away from the noisy, laughing argument he could hear Lup and Barry having as Magnus egged them on. As he passed Lucretia’s door, open for the first time in these last few days, he glanced inside to see her sitting at a desk carved out of the wall itself, and a stack of books at hand.

Angus hovered by the doorway as Lucretia sat with her head bent over a book, trying to see what book it was. After a minute, she looked up and glanced around, then spotted him by the door.

“Oh, hello, Angus. Want to come in?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Angus, relieved, stepped inside. Lucretia waved him over and saw him look up at the book again.

“It’s an analysis of research on time-limited spells. A little dry, I know.” Lucretia chuckled, but Angus brightened.

“Oh! Is that the one by Erhik Lighttouch?

Lucretia blinked. “It is. Have you read it, Angus?”

“I did! I thought he made some very good points about ontological inertia and high-level illusion magic-”Angus stopped short when he realized she was staring at him, clearing his throat and shuffling his feet. “Oh, but I don’t want to bother you ma’am, I was just curious.”

Lucretia shook her head. “No, you’re not bothering me at all! To tell you the truth, nobody ever really wants to talk magic theory with me. Do you want to come up and sit with me?”

Angus relaxed again. “Yes ma’am. I don’t usually get to talk theory either.” Lucretia reached down and helped him onto her hand, then lifted him back up to the desk, and Angus looked around for somewhere to sit. Lucretia opened a drawer, rummaging around for a moment before pulling out a gigantic wooden pencilcase and setting it on the desk by him.

“There you go. Don’t worry, you won’t get butt-splinters. Magnus polishes everything he makes for ages.”

Angus swallowed a giggle at the serious voice saying ‘butt-splinters’ and sat down. “Thank you, ma’am.” He hadn’t known Magnus carved things, and he wondered how that worked with the claws.

“You’re welcome – and you can call me Lucretia, if you want to, I don’t mind. Everyone else does.” She winked. “So, you read a lot of magic texts?”

“I read everything, really, but magic theory is very interesting! I never got a magic tutor, but I could study theory, so I do that instead! I know Dr. Lighttouch is a little old-fashioned, thinking enchantment and illusion are related fields, but his work is still illuminating.” Angus hesitated, glancing up at her to see her reaction.

She just nodded, drumming her fingers against the pages. “I agree, though I do think his writing style is a little too obscure for my tastes.” Lucretia pushed the book further back and turned it towards him, gesturing to a passage. “There’s only so much indecipherable language I can push through before I want to track down an author and explain to them that using overly complex language to convey simple ideas doesn’t make them smart, you get what I mean?”

“Oh, yes, that is a good point.” Angus leaned over to peer at the book. “Also how did you get a copy this big?”

“Magic,” Lucretia intoned dryly, wiggling her fingers before tapping one against her staff. “Taako and Lup and I have all gotten very good at size-altering spells. It used to be a more normal size.”

“Oh, that makes sense.” Angus nodded. “Have you read Cryssin Gana’s response to Dr. Lighttouch’s analysis?”

“I’m afraid not – what did they say?”

It wasn’t until Barry came by wanting to know if Lucretia and Angus were coming to eat with everyone else that Angus realized how long their discussion had run.

The next day, Angus came back to Lucretia’s open door. Peeking inside, he could see her with an elbow on her desk, chin propped on her hand as she read, and, after a moment’s hesitation, tentatively knocked on the doorframe. She didn’t respond, and before he could lose his nerve Angus cleared his throat. “Lucretia, ma’am?”

She looked up, startled. “Oh! Hello again, Angus, come on in. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“That’s all right, ma’am, it happens.” Angus approached and Lucretia leaned down and helped him up onto the desk again, but this time closed her book. Angus, standing on tiptoe as she took out the case she’d given him to sit on again, could see the cover: _The Countess’ Wedding_ , in looping font, curving over the heads of two women in fancy old-timey dresses and a man in a fancy suit.

Lucretia cleared her throat, picking up the book and leaning over to shelve it again. “I’d be happy to continue our little book club, but – maybe not with that one, okay?”

Angus paused a moment, and then clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh as he realized what she was talking about. Lucretia laughed too, though, so maybe it was okay, he decided, and he lowered his hand and smiled.

She gave him a wry smile. “I don’t know if you’re much of a romance novel person anyway.”

“I’ve read a few, but they’re not my favorite – um, not that I think they’re bad,” Angus added quickly, and Lucretia waved it off.

“So what do you like, then?” Lucretia rested her forearms on the desk as she looked at him.

“Well,” Angus said slowly, “I like mysteries the best.”

To his surprise, Lucretia nodded. “Mystery novels are fun. What kind of mysteries?”

Angus blinked a few times before answering. “All of them, really? I like solving the mystery. My favorites are the Caleb Cleveland novels though.” With a sudden spike of courage, he added “The first time I read one, I solved the mystery only halfway through!”

“That’s impressive,” Lucretia remarked, startling a smile out of him. “I’m not familiar with Caleb Cleveland, but I think I might have a few mysteries here, let me see.” She stood up to scan through the bookshelf beside her, humming absently. “Here we go!” She pulled a thick book off the shelf and sat back down to show him. “Do you read much Fantasy Poirot?”

“I haven’t read this one, no,” Angus admitted.

“Well, you can borrow this if you want, it’s an anthology. I can shrink it down again for you so you can carry it.”

“Oh I couldn’t!” Angus protested immediately. “That’s very kind of you, but you really don’t have to do that!”

Lucretia shook her head. “It’s not a problem at all, really. Just guard it with your _life_ – no I’m kidding, if it gets damaged I can fix it. Just don’t drop it in mud or anything, okay?” She took hold of her staff again and looked at him. For all that her face never moved – and Angus had yet to figure out how she could talk when her mouth was frozen like that – he got the feeling she was waiting expectantly.

Angus looked at the book again, then back to her. “Well…if you’re sure you don’t mind…”

“Of course I’m sure.” The staff glowed a deep blue for a moment, the glow surrounding the book, and as Angus watched it shrank down until it was just an ordinarily-large book. She pushed it over to him carefully, and he took it, giving her another shy smile.

“Thank you, ma’am. I’ll take good care of it, I promise.”

“Take your time with it. Let me know how your mystery-solving goes, how about that? If you want to start now, we can have some reading time together.”

“That sounds nice.” Angus nodded. Lucretia took another book off the shelf, and Angus stole a glance at the cover. It was similar to the other book’s, but this one bore the title, in even fancier font, _A Dance For The Duchess_.

Lucretia spotted him looking and chuckled. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for a romance.”

Angus giggled again and opened his book.

* * *

 “Oh, Lucretia? I’m almost done with that Shautha Shattershield book you lent me, it’s really good.”

“It is, isn’t it? Wait till the ending, you’re going to _flip_.”

“I can’t wait!” Angus smiled up at Lucretia and went back to his breakfast.

He didn’t think he was supposed to hear her, but Lup had watched the exchange, and she leaned over to Lucretia to mutter, “How come the kid’s so chatty with _you_ all of a sudden?”

“I always tell you: it’s amazing what a good book can do.”

Angus was getting better at recognizing Lucretia’s many tones, and that one was unmistakably smug.

* * *

 They all fit together so neatly, he realized, and it made him think of the train model he’d once saved up his allowance to buy, and how there had been a little piece left over that rattled around in the box as he tried to figure out what it was supposed to do.

Angus didn’t like that thought, so he pushed it away.

“You know, we take requests,” Lup remarked to Angus one evening at dinner. Magnus had made some human-sized plates and silverware that he could use, instead of needing to manage with whatever the monsters could improvise.

“What?” He blinked up at her.

“The food.” She pointed with a fork. “If you’re allergic or something. Like, Taako can’t eat peanut butter.” She paused, then added, “Well, shouldn’t. He does it anyway.”

“That sounds unhealthy.”

“You’ve like, _met_ my brother, right? ‘Healthy’ is not on his list of priorities.”

Angus cracked a smile. “If you say so, ma’am. I’m not picky though. And I don’t have any allergies.”

“Okay, but like, everyone has preferences. Gotta be something, right?”

“I didn’t know you were worried about that,” Angus remarked, a little cautiously. Lup wasn’t quite as – well, _capricious_ as Taako, but she wasn’t nearly as steady as Lucretia, either, and he wasn’t sure if this was a setup.

“Hey, you moved in with us, not the other way around, I’m just trying to get an idea of you here, you feel me? And my brother and I are the culinary masters around here.”

“That’s very impressive, ma’am.” Feeling that wasn’t quite enough, Angus added “I tried to make cookies once, but they didn’t come out very well. I just got in trouble for making a mess.”

Lup gave him a searching look, then shrugged. “Huh. Well, if you think of anything, you know where to find me.” She went back to her food and a confused Angus let it go and went back to his.

* * *

 Angus was sitting on Lucretia’s shoulder and reading a book when Lup leaned through the doorway and called “Hey Lu, you seen my staff anywhere?”

“Taako has it.” Lucretia didn’t look up from her book.

“Nope, already went through his stuff. Can I borrow yours?”

“Absolutely not, I remember the last time you borrowed it.”

“Listen, I cleaned it!”

“It smelled like fish guts for weeks, Lup.”

“Oh, that. Okay, that one was on Barry.” Lup paused, then leaned to the side and finally saw Angus on Lucretia’s other side. “Oh, hey, little man. Lucretia, if I can’t borrow your staff, can I at least borrow your boy?”

“Hm. What do you think, Angus?” Lucretia’s eyes moved to him.

Angus considered for a moment. “Can you save my place in this? I don’t want to hurt your book so I don’t forget it.”

“Sure thing, let me see.” Lucretia lifted a hand and Angus leaned over to put the open book in it.

“Cool cool cool, come on, I got places to be.” Angus hadn’t seen Lup cross the space between them, but she was already reaching for him when Lucretia batted the hand away.

“Lup,” she said reproachfully.

“What?” she protested, and then looked at Angus again. “…Oh. Yeah. Forgot.” She held out her hand instead, palm up. “Seriously though, this is a time sensitive offer.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Angus climbed over from Lucretia’s shoulder into Lup’s hand. She wasn’t quite as cautious holding him as Lucretia was, but Angus felt reasonably sure he wouldn’t fall.

“Do you call everyone that, or just the monsters? See you, Lu,” she added as she carried Angus outside.

“Everyone, actually. You know, to be polite.” Angus steadied himself against Lup’s palm, looking around. “Where are we going?”

“Figured I’d teach you a few things,” was all Lup said before she pushed her door open. He hadn’t been inside before, and looking around, the first thing he noticed was that it was almost perfectly clean, except for the heap of pillows in the corner. There was no apparent bed, leading Angus to a very easy deduction.

“Is that where you sleep?”

“Yup,” Lup replied, popping the ‘p’. “I like a lot of pillows, Barry needs to sleep on soft stuff. Convenient, right? There might be a mattress under there, but also Taako might have turned it into more pillows. I forget.” She set him down on a counter and propped her elbows on it to look down at him. “So. What kind of cookies were they?”

“…what?”

“You said you tried to bake once and fucked it up, right? What were you trying to make?”

Angus blinked slowly. “Macarons.”

Lup grinned. “Perfect.”

“I don’t understand-”

“Yeah? Lu says you’re smart, so I’m putting you to work. I’m a culinary _genius_ , and I’m going to teach you how to make macarons.”

“…Okay.” Angus paused. “Why?”

“Because we’re giant magic monsters and we do what we want, now stop asking questions.” Angus jumped as Taako appeared out of nowhere behind Lup, who looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.

“You know doors exist right? It doesn’t even lock, why are you like this.”

“Oh, do you want to do your own transmutation? Is that what’s happening, Lulu? Because that’s fine, I’ll go take a nap right now in your fuckin’ nest over there.”

“Whatever. I’m stealing your wand by the way, I think Barry might have borrowed my staff.”

“Good, he can look like a clown instead of you.”

Angus watched them bicker with a pang. He’d read a lot of stories about siblings who would bicker so casually, but he didn’t think he’d ever met any. Eventually though, Lup pulled open a cabinet above Angus’ head.

“We’re starting from scratch here – I mean for real. We don’t even have bowls.”

“But – how are you going to make anything without bowls, ma’am?”

“Oh, you’re a natural straight man, Angus. Check this out.” Lup tossed a wooden platter out of the cabinet over her shoulder and Taako caught it on one finger, spinning it as the sides raised and curved and changed color till a large glass mixing bowl was whirling on his finger, and he spun it around behind him and tossed it back to Lup, who caught it without looking and grinned at him as she plunked it down on the counter. “ _Magic_.”

Angus rapped his knuckles on the bowl, listening to the solid ring of the glass, and then back at the twins. “It really did change.”

“Transmutation school, baby,” Taako swept his hair back over his shoulder, looking smug.

Lup opened another cabinet and Angus watched, transfixed, as the two of them set to work, Taako turning fruits to eggs midair and Lup flicking a finger to crack them into the bowl and using a Mage Hand to whisk them in as she talked about consistency. Angus sat down, crossing his legs, eyes following the glowing pink hand as it beat in sugar.

Lup held out a hand behind her and Taako passed her another bowl, which she started to tip in and stopped as several whole almonds fell out. “Hey bro, you’re slipping!”

“I could transmute these in the oven and they would still be delicious,” Taako informed her loftily as the almonds changed into ground almonds instantly. Lup snorted and dumped the bowl in.

“Watch carefully, little man, this is the part beginners always get wrong,” she told Angus as she took the whisk in her real hand and briskly folded in the mixture.

“Is that enough, ma’am? I thought you had to be really thorough when you’re mixing things-”

Lup held up a finger. “And that’s your mistake! Bet that’s why all you got out of yours was a big mess.”

“Oh – I guess so.” Before Angus could say anything else, several baking trays skidded onto the counter beside him in a shower of harmless sparks. He looked up to see another coming at him, but before he could flinch Lup plucked it out of the air and plopped it in his lap.

“Come on, macarons taste shitty raw, we gotta get piping. Taako, give me a hand with this.” Lup and Taako showed him how to pipe rounds of batter onto the trays, and scooped some into a shrunken-down pastry bag for him. Angus’ first several attempts produced much snickering from the twins and several rounds with ragged edges, but eventually he filled up two trays, squeezing the last bit of batter out.

“Alright, now we let them sit – and now the real show starts.” Lup’s wings rustled as she grinned and plucked Taako’s wand out of his hand and spun it theatrically.

“The real show?” Angus leaned forward a little, curious.

“Well, they have to bake, don’t they?”

Angus quickly realized that if Taako was the transmutation specialist, Lup’s specialty had to be evocation. Jets of fire shot from the wand and Angus could almost feel the heat from where he sat. The jets turned to fireworks as Taako, sitting on the table, began setting a few more things on the counter, his Mage Hand a light blue.

Angus kept scooting forward to see better, until suddenly Lup twisted the wand and one crackling purple bolt came within a few feet of him. He lurched backwards with a yelp and thumped into a small bottle, tipping it over backwards, and as he spun around it hit the counter and the top came off on impact. The smell of vanilla filled the air as it poured out.

Angus sprang to his feet, covering his mouth with both hands and then rushing to try to lift the bottle upright. “Oh no – I’m sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t mean to, and now it’s a mess and I wasted your ingredients and I’m really sorry! I’ll clean it up – somehow…”He looked around, trying to find anything he could drag over to clean up the mess.

“Whoa, whoa, hey, take it easy.” Lup stepped forward again, gently nudging him away from the bottle and righting it. “It’s just a spill, don’t worry about it. Here, watch.” She gestured with an incantation and the spill disappeared, leaving the lingering smell behind. “See? All good.”

Taako leaned over Lup’s shoulder and added, “Yeah, trust me, Lup’s made worse messes before. Did you know flour _explodes_?”

“ _You’re_ going to explode if you don’t shut up,” Lup muttered, and Taako grinned gleefully.

“Oh man let me tell you-”

Lup chose that moment to dump a bowl of flour over Taako’s head. He let out an indignant squawk and Angus covered a laugh.

“Once Lup was practicing magic baking and she blew up the whole kitchen!” Taako, prestidigitating flour out of his hair, glared at Lup. “Magnus got half his fur singed off, she and Barry had to sleep over at mine because her place smelled like smoke and burnt hair for _weeks_.”

“Yeah, well once Taako forgot to put water in with his pasta and it burned so bad Merle thought he’d started a forest fire!”

“Oh my god that was like year _three_ give it a rest!”

“Oh – oh shit remember that night when Magnus came back with a giant catfish but it was still alive and it smacked him in the face?”

Before he knew it, the next hour had passed, Angus giggling as the twins told him stories he was pretty sure they were making up – but he might ask Lucretia about a few of them anyway, just to be sure.

Lup, pronouncing the macarons ready to bake, slid them into the magic oven beneath the cabinet and turned to Angus. “So. Strawberry or lavender?”

“Strawberry, I guess?”

“Good, Merle gets grumpy if we use too many flowers, but he grows us a lot of berries anyway.”

“Merle gets grumpy all the time, we might as well give him a reason to,” Taako put in, flicking flour off his fingers at Lup.

“Nah, right now he’s busy with the usual ‘people keep cutting down my trees and can’t I make just _one_ patch of carnivorous brambles,’ let Davenport listen to that. Also, for that you’re making the frosting, get moving and don’t bitch at me because I know you want to eat half of it anyway, you gremlin.”

“You’re the worst person,” Taako said amiably, already filling a bowl with strawberries and transmuting the tops off. A few cascaded off the side and impulsively, Angus leaned over and took one of them from the counter where it had fallen to pop it in his mouth.

Lup proved not to need oven mitts, though she paused and eyed the Angus-sized disks for a second, glancing between them and her spatula, and then just used a Wall of Force to lift them off the trays. Another spell brought the temperature down, and Angus shifted away from the cold as the macarons cooled.

“Hey, second opinion, go.” Taako held the whisk out towards Angus. Angus paused, then scooped a little off with a finger to taste it.

His eyes widened. “That’s really good, sir!”

“Of course it is, I made it.” Taako flicked his tail, tapping the whisk against the side of the bowl.

It didn’t take long before the macarons had cooled down, and Lup waved him over. “Come here, you’re frosting your own cookies, so watch.” She showed him how to fill the macaron shells and then passed him a shrunken spatula, scooping a spoonful of frosting out of the bowl for him. Angus sat again, crossing his legs and picking up the first shell. It cracked as he tried to fill it and he winced, glancing up at the twins sheepishly, but Lup made an encouraging gesture in between filling monster-sized macarons and Angus put the other half in place, glancing at the frosting on his hand and then picking up the next one. It got easier as he went on, and eventually Angus had a dozen macarons in front of him.

Lup picked up one of Angus’ macarons. Her staff glowed for a second, and the cookie grew to several times its size as she examined it with a critical eye. Angus watched anxiously.

“Little heavy on the filling, the sizing is lopsided, not the world’s greatest presentation – but not bad either. Solid three and a half stars.” She reached out towards him, then caught herself and just gave him a thumbs up, and Angus smiled back.

* * *

 Angus sat leaning up against the corner of Magnus’ little house, nose in a book and feet tucked under him. Above him someone cleared their throat, and he looked up to see Taako.

“Oh, hello sir! I didn’t hear you come up, can I help you?”

“No.” Angus frowned as Taako glanced over at Magnus, intent on whittling something, then leaned down to whisper to Angus. “So Agnes, watch this.” Raising his voice to a more normal volume as Angus muttered “Agnes?” he continued “So the spiders this year-”

“Spiders?!” Magnus lunged to his feet, looking around frantically. ”Where’s the spider? I don’t see it, that’s the worst way for a spider to be!” Then he looked up to see Taako’s shoulders shaking and scowled. Caught, Taako cackled out loud.

“It was Angus’ idea!”

“What? Sir!”

“Just watch, next time you fuck up transmuting your furniture, guess who’s not going to help you?”

“Guess who’s not going to help you next time you fight some weird monster and it ruins your pants?”

“Joke’s on you, you care about that more than I do!”

Angus snorted and returned to his book as the monsters bickered overhead, keeping half an eye on them for any wayward steps.

* * *

 Angus leaned around the door to peer inside, looking around and standing on tiptoe to see if Lup might be taking a nap in her pillow nest. He could see feathers scattered around, but no sign of her, and frowned.

“Angus?” Barry’s voice behind him made Angus jump and spin around, and he withdrew quickly. “Sorry! Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to get in your way.” The constant red glow of magic around Barry made shadows flicker oddly and Angus tried not to look.

“No, I was just – look, did you need something?”

Angus shook his head quickly. “I was – I just had a question for Lup, but it’s not important, I can go.”

“Oh, well, she and Taako went off earlier to go check on some monsters but if you want you can come in and wait for her? You can hang out in here, it’s fine.”

“I wouldn’t want to bother you, sir, I’m sure you have things to do-”Angus protested, but Barry shook his head.

“Seriously, it’s fine, come on in.” He glided around Angus and inside, motioning to him to follow, and Angus obeyed, trotting inside. Barry sat down at the table and Angus stood in the middle of the floor.

Several minutes passed. Barry drummed his fingers on the table. Angus rocked on his heels, hands locked behind his back.

“So…” Barry began. Angus looked up at him inquisitively and waited. “You, uh. Lucretia says you like books?”

“Yes, sir.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” He nodded and the two of them fell silent again.

Finally Barry sighed. “Look, why don’t you come up here so you’re not all the way down there? You can hang out on the table instead.”

“Okay, sir.” On one hand, that would bring him closer to the skull, which was really Barry’s scariest feature. On the other, he wasn’t a big fan of being in stepping-range.

Barry nodded. “Here, I can-”he turned, making a move to reach for Angus, but before Angus could do more than freeze in place Barry stopped. “No that’s not gonna work, hm.” Then he snapped his fingers. “I know! Angus, you ever been levitated before?”

“No, sir?”

“Okay, so it feels weird but don’t worry. Just stand by the table leg, and I’ll Levitate you up, how’s that?”

“Okay, sir.” Angus went to stand by the table, and after a moment felt his stomach swoop as he began to float upwards. He grabbed for the leg to steady himself and his hand slipped, he started to spin-

“Whoa, whoa, careful!” Barry reached out and steadied him, and Angus clung gratefully to the bony hand. “You’re not gonna fall, don’t worry. Just hang onto me, okay?”

Angus nodded again and Barry lifted him towards the tabletop. The weightless, dangling feeling was _weird_ – but with something to hold on to it wasn’t so bad. The only really nerve-wracking moment was when Barry lifted him away from the table and out over empty space to get him up onto it.

Weight finally returned, and Angus drifted down the few feet to the table, finally letting go of Barry’s hand as his toes touched down gently.

“There you go, not so bad, right?” Barry grinned at him, which was weird since as a skeleton he didn’t actually have a face to smile with. “Just takes some getting used to.”

“It was kind of fun,” Angus admitted. “Is flying like that?”

“Sort of? More work though.” Barry shrugged. Angus nodded, automatically opening his mouth to add something, but caught himself. Barry noticed, though, and frowned. “What? What’s the matter?”

“I was just, um. Just thinking. I don’t really understand how your wings work.”

“The answer’s pretty much just magic, honestly.” Angus frowned – “just magic” was never a good explanation for things – and to his surprise, Barry chuckled. “It’s a pretty sh- crappy answer though, isn’t it?”

Angus cracked a smile. “Kind of.”

“Right now my theory is that levitation magic is involved. That’s weird though, right? I mean, when Fantasy Neil Degrasse Tyson did the levitating birds experiment-”

“I remember that! I felt really sorry for them getting all turned around. But I guess it was important scientific knowledge. It could be modified levitation?”

“That’s a possibility too, and if you consider the wingspan I think it must be.”

“Oh, yes, that’s true!”

Angus settled down, sitting cross-legged on the table as they talked.

An hour later, Lup strolled back through the door. “Hey babe, I’m home – oh, hey Angus, how’s it hangin’?”

“Hi, hon.” Barry smiled at Lup. “Angus said he had something to ask you, so we’ve been hanging out and waiting for you.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s up?” Lup looked over at Angus quizzically.

Angus paused, frowning thoughtfully, then gave her a sheepish smile. “I, um. I don’t remember, ma’am. Sorry.”

Lup laughed and came over to ruffle Angus’ hair with one finger. He pushed his hat back into place and smiled up at her.

* * *

Angus leaned around the corner of Magnus’ home, watching him polishing a gigantic wooden duck he held in one hand. He frowned, drumming his fingers against the wall and tilting his head as Magnus held up the duck and gently blew away sawdust, then gazed proudly at his work. Pushing himself to his feet, he tucked the duck into the crook of his arm and came around the corner, stopping just short of Angus.

Angus pushed his glasses up and gave Magnus a slightly nervous smile. “Hello, sir.”

Just as he’d expected, Magnus smiled back, and Angus tried not to look at the teeth. “Hey, Angus! Something you need?”

“Um, no, not exactly. I just – um, I was curious about the duck? And I know it’s not my business but-”

Magnus slapped his forehead with his free hand. “Oh, duh, I forgot! You haven’t met Fisher yet!”

“The person who can wipe memories?”

“Yeah – hey, I’m about to go bring them this duck anyway, why don’t you come with me? I bet Fisher’d love to meet you.”

Angus hesitated, but curiosity won out. “Well…okay, sir. Who _is_ Fisher, anyway? Nobody’s ever said anything specific about them to me.”

“You’ll see!” Magnus singsonged, picking Angus up and putting him on his shoulder. “Hang on tight!” He headed off, whistling cheerfully. Angus, hands wound into surprisingly soft fur, wondered how he was able to do that with a snout.

Magnus took Angus deeper into the forest, the trees growing taller, branches blotting out the light almost completely. The lack of light didn’t seem to bother Magnus, though, and eventually they reached a clearing. At one end of it there was a grassy hill with a wide, pitch-black opening in it. Angus’ grip tightened a little as Magnus ducked through into it. He could feel the path going downwards, but Angus’ eyes couldn’t pierce the darkness.

After a few minutes of walking, the darkness began to ease, and Magnus emerged into a cavern lit by glowing crystals surrounding a pool of water. They glittered on the water and Angus forgot himself and stared in awe. It looked like a night sky in the ground.

Magnus walked up to the edge of the pool and crouched down to put the duck in the water. “Watch closely, Ango, this is the best part.” Angus leaned forward, too interested to protest the nickname. A few seconds passed, and then suddenly slim tendrils shot up from the water all around the duck, wrapped around it, and yanked it under. Angus’ eyes widened and he leaned back, and then echoing around the cave came a chiming melody, and something floated up out of the water.

Angus stared. He’d read a lot about various animals, but he’d never heard of a jellyfish like the one hanging in the air in front of him. It was nearly Magnus-sized, purple and glittering like it had a whole galaxy in its bell, and it was hugging the duck Magnus had put in the water.

Magnus gestured dramatically. “Angus, Fisher. Fisher, Angus.” At that, Fisher floated forward, and though they didn’t have eyes Angus could feel their gaze on him.

He cleared his throat. “Um, hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

Fisher chimed at him, then held up the duck.

“…It’s a very nice duck,” Angus said after a moment.

Another chime, and then Fisher dove back underwater.

Angus sat bolt upright. “Oh no! I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to upset them, I’m sorry-”

Magnus waved it off. “Wait for it.”

Angus looked back at the water just in time to see several tiny ducks pop up out of the water, followed by Fisher, who still held the new duck in several tentacles. They delicately lifted one of the small ducks out and held it out towards Angus. Angus blinked, then reached out and took it. Fisher chimed happily at him.

“That means they like you,” Magnus whispered.

“That’s very kind,” Angus told Fisher. “I like you too.”

Fisher patted Angus’ shoulder and then turned slightly and chimed past him, towards Magnus instead.

“We picked him up a few weeks back,” Magnus told them. “I figured it was time he met you, right?”

Another chime, and Fisher set their new duck by the water, then ducked into the pool again. Magnus plopped down, automatically reaching up to steady Angus, then lifted him off his shoulder and put him down at his side. Fisher returned with a few more large ducks and settled down in the water in front of them. Angus examined the ducks curiously. The ones he could hold weren’t quite as well-made as the big ones Magnus could have picked up, but they were all clearly Magnus’ work.

“Did you make all of these, sir?”

“I did! I’ve been making Fisher ducks for years and years now.” Magnus patted Fisher’s bell. Fisher swatted at his paw and sang at him, and Magnus laughed and held up his hands appeasingly.

Fisher showed Angus each of the ducks, and Angus admired them dutifully as Magnus talked to Fisher, catching them up on recent events, some of which Angus had been present for.

“-oh, and there was another shot at burning the woods, but you know how that always works out. Merle’s gonna complain for weeks. I think that’s it though.”

“It must have taken you a long time to make these little ones,” Angus remarked when he was sure Magnus was finished, turning one over in his hands. “They’re very good. They’re very small though?”

“Oh – well, you know, Fisher wasn’t always this big. They used to be tiny, so they needed little ducks. We’ve known them since they were a baby.”

“Oh.” Angus looked up at Fisher again. Fisher leaned on one of the largest ducks, and Angus judged that they must be lighter than they seemed, given how it sat in the water under them. “What _is_ Fisher, anyway?”

“We call them a Voidfish! It was Lucretia’s idea.”

Angus tilted his head curiously. “Why Voidfish?”

Magnus coughed unconvincingly, clearing his throat. “Oh, is it that late already? We’d better get back. Come on, Angus, time to go-”He scooped Angus up as Fisher sang at him, somehow sounding reproachful. “Good talking to you, Fisher, see you later?” Fisher floated up and chimed again, then patted Angus’ head and chimed to him.

“Goodbye, Fisher. It was nice to meet you.” Another chime, and then Magnus turned and started heading back up the tunnel. The light followed them, and he stopped, turning back. Fisher held up one of the small ducks and held it out to Angus. “Oh!” He took it carefully, and after a moment, tentatively patted the outstretched tentacle. “Thank you, that’s really nice of you.” He smiled, and Fisher’s lights glowed before they went back to the pool.

As they emerged from Fisher’s cave, Angus opened his mouth to ask again about Fisher, but Magnus started talking before he could. “So that was really cool, right? Fisher’s pretty great. I’m their favorite,” he added proudly, and Angus shifted to settle down into Magnus’ hand.

“Why is that, sir?”

“I saved their life when they were a baby, it was pretty awesome. So I found them in this cave…”

Angus rode along and listened to Magnus tell him about bonding with Fisher over a duck he’d happened to have carved, and a bandit attack that had driven him to grab Fisher and run, taking them instead back home. They’d found the cave, and with some effort had made them a pool to live in.

He still had questions, and more as Magnus’ story unfolded, but Angus decided he could investigate later. It was comfortable in Magnus’ hands, anyway, he didn’t really want to start an argument.

* * *

“Hey Angus, how are you?”                                                                                                                              

Angus looked up as Barry crouched down next to him. “Hello, sir. I’m fine, thank you. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Other way around, actually.” Barry held out a hand. A small denim satchel sat in his palm. “Got something for you.”

“Oh!” Angus sat up, blinking. “For me? You didn’t have to-”

“I know, but you said you lost your bag, right? And I know you’ve been borrowing a lot of books from Lucretia. Open it, look.”

Angus obediently took the bag and peered inside. He couldn’t see a bottom, and he reached inside experimentally. His whole arm disappeared into it and he still couldn’t feel the bottom. Mind working, he put the bag down and looked up at Barry again, wide eyed. “Sir, is this-”

Barry grinned. “Bag of Holding.”

“I can’t – I can’t take this, sir, these are-”

“It’s fine, honestly Angus. I don’t need it, if I did I’d have made it, y'know, bigger.”

“You _made_ this?”

“Yeah – do you like it? I thought, you seem to like blue, so-”He gestured vaguely towards the bag, which was a slightly darker blue than Angus’ outfit. “Just, you know, something useful.”

“I-”Angus swallowed a lump in his throat, looking down at the bag. “This is – this is amazing, sir. Thank you.” He put it over his shoulder, experimentally flipping the top open and looking down into the seemingly-bottomless bag. “Are you _sure_ you want me to have this?”

“Sure I’m sure, seriously Angus, it’s fine. Take the bag. I literally live here, I’m not short on storage space.”

Angus wished he could put what he wanted to say into words, but his throat had closed up on him. Instead he just nodded and squeaked out another fervent “Thank you.”

* * *

Merle spent a lot of time out in the Stateran. Angus knew in a vague sort of way that he was the one responsible for taking care of the forest, but that wasn’t enough, he wanted to know _what_ he did. Merle’s plants kept swiping his things, too, which was very rude, and maybe Merle could tell them to stop. One afternoon he followed Merle out of camp. He wasn’t trying to be stealthy, but Merle didn’t seem to notice him.

Not long into this venture, though, Angus’ foot snagged as he climbed through a bush. He tried to pull it out but had no success. Instead, to his dismay, he found himself getting more and more caught. By the time he stopped, he was thoroughly entangled in plant life that had definitely not been there before. Periodically he made new attempts to tug an arm or a leg free, but those failed just as thoroughly as the first, and finally he looked up to see Merle standing in front of him, glaring down with his hands on his hips.

“…Hello, sir.”

Merle grunted. “If I get you out, will you go bug Magnus instead and quit following me?”

“…probably not, sir.”

“Alright.” Merle turned his back and walked away, and Angus winced, but he stopped a short distance away and crouched down to tend a small, browning bush. Angus watched as he spoke gently to the bush, coaxing, green magic gathering at his fingertips as the discoloration shrank and faded. Once it had been restored to glowing health he moved to the plants around it. It was the gentlest Angus had ever seen Merle.

“What’s wrong with those plants, sir?”

Merle eyed him for a second before answering. “They’re sick. It’s been spreading in from outside the wards.”

“The wards?” Angus echoed, tilting his head.

“You know how you’ve never woken up with a bear eating your face? You’re welcome.”

“Oh. I did wonder. Thank you, sir.”

“Yeah, yeah, nobody ever thinks to say it till I point it out.”

Angus refrained from pointing out he hadn’t even known. “So what are you doing with the plants?”

Merle hmphed. “Burning out the disease, what’s it look like?”

“I really wouldn’t know, sir. Do you have to do it to every plant? That seems like it would take a lot of time.”

“No, of course not. I’m not their damn immune system, I just give them a better chance to deal with it themselves.” Despite his tone, Merle patted the next bush affectionately as he stood back up.

Angus considered for a moment. Then Merle walked through the bushes and vanished from sight, and Angus squeaked. “Sir! Sir I’m still here!” A loud, ostentatious groan sounded and the plants released him. Deciding Merle couldn’t be too grumpy if he’d let Angus out, Angus trotted after him. The bushes rustled as he squeezed through, but let him be. Merle ignored him pointedly as Angus followed at his heel, watching his nature magic flit like tiny insects to the plants around him.

After a little while, an odd flower drew Angus’ attention, and he crouched down by it. Its face turned to him and he blinked. “Hello,” he told it, on the basis that it didn’t hurt to be polite. “Merle? What’s this flower called?”

“It’s faebane.” Merle didn’t even look over, his hands resting on a tree trunk as they sprouted tiny, closed buds.

“Fairies don’t like it?”

“Grows where there’s a lot of iron in the soil,” Merle said absently, and Angus nodded understanding. Merle pushed further into the forest and Angus jumped up to follow him.

“So you help the plants a lot, right?”

“Regular boy genius, aren’t you?”

“I know you’re being sarcastic, sir. Is it just diseases, or…?”

“It’s everything,” Merle snorted. “Every damn time some idiot gets it into their head to burn out the monsters in the forest, guess who has to deal with it? Me. Lumberjacks trying to get their hands on magic wood? I deal with that too. Some snotty dragon comes through ripping up trees to try and move in, guess who has to take care of that!”

“I guess you, sir.”

“Exactly! Can’t take a week off without coming back to half the place trashed and the other half crying, and everyone at home acts like I’m just going on damn nature walks out here instead of keeping trouble off our backs!”

“That sounds very frustrating, sir.”

“You’re damn right it is! Oh sure, Magnus fights manticores and everyone tells him how cool it is, but I keep them out to start with and no one gives a shit! And like that’s not enough, I still have to deal with these damn glasses! Barry doesn’t need _his_ anymore, why do I still need the stupid things?”

Angus paused. “Barry needed glasses?”

Merle tensed, just for a second, before he waved the question off. “And of course now I have to babysit some nosy know-it-all on top of everything else!”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“No you’re not.” Before Angus could retreat and hurry off back home, Merle caught his arm and propelled him forward. “If you’re gonna bug me, make yourself useful, move that dead branch so it’s not shading the kinsgold.”

“Oh – um, yes sir.”

Angus followed Merle around for the next few hours, giving his best effort at grunt work as Merle busied himself with the flora surrounding them and alternated between grumbling complaints at Angus and gentle reassurance to the plants.

That night at dinner, Barry noticed Angus stealing glances at him all throughout the meal. Angus told him he was just trying to figure out how talking worked  for someone who had no lungs or vocal cords, and the ensuing discussion almost made him forget about the odd observations he kept making.

* * *

Angus, enthralled by another mystery Lucretia had dug out of her collection for him, had forgotten to watch his back. He was reminded sharply when Taako’s tail snagged the strap of his new bag and lifted it several feet overhead.

“Got a little matching bag, there, Ango?”

Angus’ stomach practically dropped into his shoes. “Sir!”

“Real cute,” Taako drawled, dangling the bag well out of reach. Angus barely had the presence of mind to put Lucretia’s book down with care before he scrambled to his feet, trying to jump and get the bag back.

“Please don’t, sir, please give it back!”

“You’re not planning on playing pro fantasy basketball, are you? Because with a jump like that you should probably think of a different career path.”

“ _Please_!” Angus’ voice cracked – Barry wouldn’t make him a new bag if Taako decided to keep it. Angus knew very well that people wouldn’t give you new things if you didn’t care enough to take care of the old things.

Taako looked down at him, and for half a second his ears twitched and an odd look flashed across his face. Then he snorted and dropped the bag into Angus’ outstretched hands. “Eesh, fine, if you’re gonna be like that about it.”

Angus clung to the bag, hands trembling. “Th-thank you sir.”

Taako rolled his eyes expressively. “Barry’s not gonna eat you for losing his dumb bag. Anyway, he’s a skeleton, you’d just fall right through.”

“Yes, sir,” Angus said meaninglessly, hardly listening.

Taako leaned on the wall next to Angus. “So, saw you’ve got a little wand there.”

Angus looked up warily. “Yes, sir?”

“Do you actually know any magic?”

“A little, sir.” Angus, putting the bag over his shoulder again for safekeeping, took his wand off the lanyard and looked around. Then he picked up a small rock off the ground and tapped it with the wand. A red light shone from it and he held it up. “I know Light.”

“Dead people can cast Light. How about Mage Hand?”

Angus shrank a little, but Taako motioned to him to hurry up and he made another gesture with the wand. Then he cringed as the Mage Hand appeared, golden and horribly misshapen. Tentatively he moved a hand, trying to get the magical construct to respond. It trembled for a second, then flew across the ground, smacked into one of the rocks around the firepit, and exploded into shreds.

Taako laughed out loud. “Okay, that was pretty bad.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Angus looked down, but Taako’s tail reappeared in his vision and motioned him back up.

“Your movements are all fucked up.”

“…I’m sorry?”

“You’re waving the wand wrong. Here.” Taako leaned down and Angus, stunned, let Taako pick him up and lift him to eye level. “Do it again.”

The second Mage Hand wasn’t any better than the first, and Angus winced at the sight. Taako dispelled it and shook his head. “You need to flow better.”

“Flow, sir?”

“It’s all jerky, like a shitty robot trying to wave around a wand. Relax and stop thinking about it.”

Angus hesitated, then tried again. Taako rolled his eyes.

“Is that what you call relaxing? Hate to see you stressed, Agnes.”

This time Angus frowned and took a deep breath, then cast again. The hand still had the wrong number of fingers, but when he tentatively waved a hand and flexed it the construct followed his movements.

Taako nodded. “See? Just a cantrip. It’s not that hard. Go again.”

It took several tries, but finally Angus produced a passable hand, and before he could think about it he beamed up at Taako. “I did it, sir!”

“Huh. Guess you did.” Taako prodded at the hand with one finger, pushing it back through the air. “Not bad for an eight year old.”

“…Thank you?”

Taako hummed acknowledgement. “So, you’re what, 0th-level? Know any real spells?”

“…Not yet, sir.” Angus looked down and Taako sighed noisily.

“Hold still.” He put Angus onto his shoulder and strode towards the edge of camp. Angus held onto his shirtsleeve and watched as Taako stopped by the trees and started making odd grunting noises, holding out a hand. A bird came down and landed on it as Angus stared. Taako grunted at it for a few seconds, and the bird pulled a loose feather from its chest, dropped it into Taako’s hand, then flew away.

Angus couldn’t help himself. “What was that?”

“That’s what’s called a _bird_ , Aang.” Taako put him back into his hand. “Take the feather and get your wand up. Someone’d better make sure you don’t die because you fell off a table or whatever.”

* * *

“Angus? Do you have a minute to talk?”

Angus looked up from struggling with a cantrip Taako had shown him. Davenport was standing there, waiting for him. His changes were slow, which Angus was pretty sure meant he was calm, so he just nodded and stood up. “Yes, sir. What is it?”

Davenport didn’t have much of a face, besides the mustache that seemed to linger whenever his form shifted, so it was harder to read him than the others. “Come with me, please, I’d rather talk to you privately.”

That made Angus a little more nervous, and he followed Davenport inside. He’d never been inside Davenport’s house, but it was nice, pleasant and neatly kept and surprisingly normal, if simple. There was a round table with a chair on either side in the middle, and Davenport flowed up into one chair. Angus, with a little effort, clambered up onto the other, but when he sat he could hardly see over the table, so he stood up instead.

Davenport cleared his throat. “Angus, you’ve been here almost a month now. I wanted to ask – how are you doing?”

Angus blinked. “Sir?”

Davenport paused, looking at him quizzically. “How are you doing?” he repeated. “Are you having trouble, or second thoughts, or…?” He waited expectantly.

Angus frowned, uncertain. “No, sir.” He hesitated, then tentatively asked “Is there something I’ve been doing wrong, sir? Nobody’s said anything…”

“What? No, no, that’s not it. I’m not even sure what you _could_ be doing wrong. Was there something you were worried about?”

Angus shook his head. “No, sir.” Not more than usual, anyway, and that wasn’t important.

“…Alright.” Angus wished Davenport had a more consistent face, to make him easier to read. “Everything’s okay, then?”

He nodded. “Yes, sir. Everyone’s been very helpful.” Mostly. Taako still kept stealing his things and dangling them several feet over his head. But he also did that to Lup, so Angus didn’t _think_ it meant he was trying to chase Angus off.

“Angus, you- listen, you know you don’t have to call us all sir and ma’am, don’t you?”

“I was taught I should call everyone that.” Angus hesitated. “And I know you’re the leader here. Everyone listens to you. I – _should_ I stop?”

“No, you can if you want, just-”Davenport sighed, a puff of smoke separating from the mass and then reattaching. “I don’t mean to try and chase you off, but – I need to know, are you sure you still want to stay here?”

Was he going to change his mind? Angus’ grip on the table’s edge tightened a fraction. “I haven’t changed my mind, sir.”

“Won’t your parents worry, though? You’ve been gone a long time.”

“No sir.” Angus regretted the words immediately.

Davenport’s face finally showed. He was frowning. “You haven’t been gone a long time, or your parents aren’t worried about you?”

Angus cleared his throat, sitting ramrod-straight. “Um, if that’s all sir, I would like to get back to practicing if you don’t mind please? It’s just I’m having trouble with holding the illusion and I need to get it right before my next lesson.” He wound his hands in the hem of his shirt, not quite looking at Davenport. If he’d overstepped, he’d know right away, looking or not.

Davenport frowned, looking at him in silence for a long moment. Then he sighed. “Okay, Angus. That’s all I wanted to know.”

Angus sagged with relief. “Yes, sir.” He went to climb down off the chair, but then Davenport abruptly cleared his throat and Angus’ attention snapped back to him.

“If you want,” Davenport said slowly, "Taako’s specialty is transmutation, but mine is illusion. I could give you some pointers.”

Angus lit up. “That would be great, sir!”

* * *

Most nights, the monsters ate together at the big table inside. It had been a beautiful day, though, clear and cool, and Merle had gone out, dragging Magnus with him. They’d returned with armfuls of fallen branches to pile into the firepit in the center of the camp. Lup had lit them with an impressive fireball, and the group had gathered around the fire to eat instead. Magnus had lifted Angus onto his shoulder, and Angus ate carefully, holding tight to his bowl so he wouldn’t spill anything in Magnus’ fur.

The conversation flowed around him, and Angus watched thoughtfully, musing on the legends he’d read about the Stateran. Some were easy to see in the people around him – there were villages that lived just outside the forest who talked about death omens in the night sky overhead, who wouldn’t look up at that sky on certain nights for fear of seeing them. That one was easy – Barry was certainly spooky. The plants behaved unnaturally – Merle, of course. Even just walking through the trees, they would turn to follow him, let alone when he exerted control. Tales of terrible, unnatural animals, probably Magnus? That one was a little vaguer. There were a lot of other scary things in the Stateran too, so probably not all the stories were about them specifically.

Then there were stranger mysteries, stories that Angus hadn’t yet figured out. There was a circle of black glass not far outside the Stateran, its origin unknown, but with no signs of having been made by tools. Travelers who came through the woods often came back with stories of bizarre things happening, from animals acting oddly to their own possessions turning on them. Strangest of all, monsters were drawn to the forest, to the point that people said they were made in its heart. Certainly Angus had been drawn too, but he was pretty sure that evil dragons or manticores or fiends weren’t coming to it out of a love for the truth. Some passages of older books, certain ones whose authors claimed they’d been to the Stateran themselves, were incomprehensible. Angus had spent hours poring over them, trying in vain to make sense of the words. They ran together and jumbled till it made his head hurt.

Angus shifted on his perch, putting his empty bowl in his lap and leaning back, watching quietly. Lup was leaning an elbow on Lucretia’s shoulder, gesturing with her free hand as she talked. Barry watched her with a contented smile as Lucretia shook her head, chuckling. Merle and Davenport were talking quietly, Merle sitting well back from the fire.

It made Angus think of books he’d read, scenes of warmth and family, and he smiled a little. This hadn’t been what he expected when he stepped off the path and into the trees, but he thought that might not be such a bad thing after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't actually know how making macarons works past what I googled so don't @ me if they're yummy before they're baked.
> 
> Also Taako failing to put water in his pasta _may_ possibly have been based on a true story. In my defense, it was my first ever finals and I was stressed.


	3. Settling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angus finds his feet and learns something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how bout that episode, right? :) I'm so glad everything is fine :) and everyone is okay :) and nobody died at all :)
> 
> That said, here's your new chapter! I hope it's suitably sweet for you all.

“You know what? We need to get out.”

Angus looked up at Lucretia, blinking. “Ma’am?”

“Not that I don’t enjoy our reading time, Angus, but a little variety would be nice, don’t you think?”

“I suppose so, ma’am. What did you have in mind?”

Lucretia held out a hand and Angus carefully marked his place in his book, then came over so she could pick him up and set him on her shoulder. Her hair floated behind him, and Angus leaned back a little – it was thick and heavy and made a nice cushion if he didn’t try to put his whole weight against it.

That was one lesson he’d learned the hard way. On the bright side, he now knew he had Feather Fall _down_ , which made being carried around much more relaxing.

Lucretia waited for him to settle before she stood up. “It’s a nice day. How does a walk sound?”

“The woods out here are nice.” Angus nodded.

“We do like them,” Lucretia agreed seriously.

“I’d hope so, ma’am!” Angus smiled up at Lucretia as her eye fixed on him for a moment. She chuckled and turned her head away to call over her other shoulder.

“Magnus, Angus and I are going out, we’ll see you later! If we don’t come back, avenge our deaths!”

Magnus stuck an arm out of his doorway to give them a thumbs up and Angus giggled.

The trees in the Stateran grew so tall Lucretia could duck under the occasional low branch without much trouble. Her passage didn’t seem to bother the wildlife all that much, Angus noted – small creatures scurried out of her path, certainly, but birds stayed on their branches and while a wary deer stared as they passed, it didn’t flee.

Angus leaned over to look at the ground, then looked back at Lucretia and opened his mouth to speak. Then he closed it again, looking away, but he was sitting right next to her ear, and he realized she must have heard him when she paused and asked “Is everything okay, Angus?”

“Oh, yes ma’am, I just – do you mind if I get down?”

“No, that’s fine, I don’t mind at all.” Lucretia reached for him but Angus cast Feather Fall on himself and hopped off her shoulder instead. His stomach swooped at the drop but he landed lightly.

“ _Angus._ ” Lucretia’s voice was strained and he looked up to see her staring. “Please – next time, next time a little warning, first. You scared me there.”

Angus blinked, then looked down guiltily. “Sorry, ma’am. I’ll remember. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s okay. Just let me know next time.” Lucretia slowed her stride and Angus trotted beside her, and the two fell into companionable silence, broken only by one or the other occasionally pointing out an interesting plant or watching creature.

After a while, Angus began to roam further away to get a better look at things. He kept glancing back at Lucretia, but she didn’t call him back or scold him, so he got bolder.

Eventually, though, a rustling in the bushes caught his attention. Angus paused, peering thoughtfully at the source of the noise, and slowly became aware of a large, indistinct form shifting among the leaves.

“Lucretia…?”

There was a low growl, the thing began to move forward – and an impenetrable shield snapped into place around Angus. Lucretia swept forward and the owlbear fled at her approach.

Angus knocked experimentally on the shield around him, then looked back up at Lucretia. “Thank you, ma’am. I thought monsters like that couldn’t get close to the camp.”

She dismissed the sphere with a flick of her hand. “We’ve gotten close to the edge of the wards. It must have come past them.”

“They can do that?”

“Only when something attracts them. It must have heard us and pushed past.” Lucretia sighed. “It happens. Just stay closer to me, okay?”

Neither of them noticed the sky growing darker as they walked until it opened up and the rain poured out. Angus yelped and tried to shield his glasses from the rain.

“…Well, it _was_ a nice day,” Lucretia remarked, looking down at him and holding out a hand over his head to block the rain.

“Camp is that way, right ma’am?” Angus pointed, and Lucretia nodded. “Thank you.” Then he took off running. He heard her laugh and follow, and when they stumbled back into camp both of them were drenched. Angus was muddy from the knees down and grinning breathlessly.

“That was fun!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Angus.” Angus wondered if it felt strange for Lucretia to not be able to smile, but then, he supposed she wouldn’t notice a difference if she’d never been able to. “You might want to go change, though, before they start telling stories of a tiny mud monster running around in the Stateran.”

Angus laughed and hurried back to Magnus’ house to get clean clothes.

* * *

 When Angus woke up the next morning, his head felt a little fuzzy and his nose stuffy, but he didn’t think anything of it – he and Magnus were going to visit Fisher, and listening to Fisher have a musical argument with Magnus distracted him from having to breathe through his mouth.

He fell fast asleep again that night, and woke up miserable. His whole body ached and he shivered and his pillow-bed was soaked in sweat. Sluggishly, he crawled out of bed and got dressed for breakfast.

Angus didn’t make it halfway across camp before Davenport emerged from his house, took one look at him, and announced “No.”

Angus stopped, blinking owlishly at him. “Sir?” His voice rasped.

“You’re sick. Go back to bed. We’ll bring you something to eat.” Davenport pointed him back to the house.

“I don’t want to be a bother, sir-”

Davenport gave him a sharp frown. Then his form stretched up and over Angus, losing all distinction till it was just a column of smoke, and came down on the other side in the shape of a massive dire wolf. Without waiting for Angus’ reaction, Davenport dipped his head down, picked Angus up by the back of his vest, and turned to carry him back inside.

Angus, a little dazed and a little shocked, stopped arguing. Davenport set him gently back on the pillow and his form shrank back into the small, vaguely humanoid shape he usually maintained.

“I didn’t know you could do that, sir,” Angus mumbled, already sinking down into his bed.

“I’ll tell you about it when you’re feeling better.” Davenport patted his shoulder. His hand felt soft, like how Angus had used to think clouds must feel. “Go back to sleep.”

“Yes, sir.” Angus closed his eyes again, but only a few minutes after Davenport left he found himself tossing and turning, shifting around on the pillow to find a more comfortable spot, pushing away the blankets, unable to settle.

Eventually the door opened again. He didn’t hear footsteps, but a shadow fell over him and he knew it was Taako.  Angus cracked an eyelid to look in time to see Taako crouch down and put a hand over him. His clothes rustled and turned into soft pajamas, the star charm hanging from a sleeve. He closed a hand over the charm automatically and Taako picked him up. As an afterthought, he took the blanket too, wrapping it around Angus and carrying him out. Angus closed his eyes again, leaning against Taako’s chest and feeling the quick, deep beat of his heart.

It took him a few minutes to realize Taako had taken him into Lup’s home, lowering him into the pillow nest. It smelled a bit like dust and a bit like sugar, and Angus finally drifted off to the quiet sounds of movement nearby.

“-good, Tia always made it for us.”

“Light too, you know how your stomach gets.”

Angus stirred a little in his nest. The voices nearby stopped for a moment, then resumed when he quieted.

“Lot of flavor, too.” Taako’s voice, Angus realized, pulling his blanket closer around him. And the other, humming agreement, was Lup. He wished they wouldn’t bother themselves, he’d been sick before. He shivered, trying to burrow deeper into the pillows for warmth.

Something large settled in beside him – Lup, sitting in the nest next to him. He wanted to apologize for taking her spot, but she reached over and gently shifted him till his feet rested against her leg, then cupped her hand over him just like Taako had. Lup left her hand there, though, radiating warmth. Angus sighed softly and closed his eyes again.

When he woke, it was to a finger shaking his shoulder. “Hey. Ango. Gotta wake up, time to eat.”

Angus mumbled incoherently, pushing at the finger, which did not relent.

“Come on, pumpkin, you can go back to sleep after.”

“We’re not gonna leave you alone until you eat.”                                                                                      

Even sick, Angus knew very well that she meant it. Lup helped him sit up and he wriggled his arms out of his warm cocoon to take the bowl of soup Taako handed him – though first he had to cough for several seconds through a sore throat.

The smell wafting up woke his appetite and he emptied the bowl. Taako took it back and gently pushed him back down, leaving Angus to curl up again beside Lup.

He woke briefly again to a rough hand resting against his forehead, pushing back his hair, and a sensation like sitting in the sun, if the sun was pleasantly cool. “Just the flu,” Merle said to someone over his head. “I’ll come back and check in on him later. Best to let his system fight it off on its own.” The hand smoothed his hair back down.

Angus spent the rest of the day alternately napping in Lup’s nest, eating and drinking the things Taako brought, and lying quietly while he listened to the twins talking. Merle did indeed come in some time later, with nothing new to say, but he did pat Angus’ head with surprising gentleness. Magnus stopped by too, and Lucretia, both full of questions until they were shooed away.

He woke briefly again in the night to find that Lup had fallen asleep, curled slightly around him and still comfortably warm. A red glow betrayed Barry, asleep in an armchair. Angus felt vaguely guilty about that, but was too tired to give it more thought, and just shifted closer to Lup and shut his eyes again.

* * *

 Angus was small, and his ear hurt, and he couldn’t get warm. He dragged his blanket behind him through the dark, down the stairs and to the room with the light shining beneath the door. He had to stand on tiptoe to reach the handle.

His father sat at the desk, head bent over some papers, with more of them piled neatly next to him. He didn’t turn around when the door opened.

“Sir?”

“Go back to bed, Angus. You’re too old for nightmares.”

Angus coughed unhappily. “’m sorry-”

“And speak up.”

“Sorry.” Angus pulled the blanket tighter around him and coughed again. “I don’t feel good.”

“Don’t feel _well_ ,” his father corrected, and only then did he turn around. He looked Angus up and down critically. “You’re sick. Go back to sleep. I’ll send someone up in the morning.”

“Yes, sir,” Angus said automatically. Then he hesitated. “Could you come w-”

“I have work to do, Angus. You’ll understand when you’re older. Bed.” His father turned back to the desk and eight-year-old Angus McDonald knew he’d been dismissed. He dragged his blanket back upstairs, put on two more sets of pajamas, and curled up tight in bed, shivering until he finally fell asleep again.

* * *

 Angus sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He hadn’t thought of that in a while – his father had kept his promise, and Miss Falone had brought him his meals and medicine till he had gotten better. Looking up, he found Barry sitting next to him, leafing through a book bigger than Angus. Feeling Angus’ gaze on him, he looked down and smiled.

“Hey, Angus. How you feeling?”                                                                              

Angus considered. “A little better, sir.” As if on cue, another coughing fit struck him. Barry patted his back with the tip of one finger.

“Well, hang in there.”

“Thank you, sir.” Angus looked around. “Where did Lup go?”

“Went to go eat – why, are you cold? I don’t run hot like she does, I can’t-” Barry looked concerned, and Angus shook his head.

“No, the blankets are still warm.” Then he frowned. “Shouldn’t you eat too?”

“Well, Lup needs to eat more than I do, and she wasn’t about to leave you alone when you’re sick.” Barry’s tone was casual, but Angus could hear an edge to it that he didn’t understand. He softened again, though, and added “She’ll bring you back something. Shouldn’t be too long.” Angus nodded, though he didn’t mind waiting – he knew it was just being sick, but he still wasn’t hungry.

They were both quiet for a few minutes until Barry spoke up again. “So, the flu sucks, doesn’t it?”

Angus cracked a smile. “Kind of.” He paused, then asked “Can monsters even get the flu?”

“Magnus did once, a while back.” Barry grimaced. “Be glad you weren’t around for that. He sheds. A lot. Everywhere. Did you know Davenport poofs out of shape when he sneezes?” That made Angus laugh to picture it.

Lup came back with eggs for him and an affectionate tap on the head. As he ate, Lup sat down with them, leaning on Barry. “So I’ve got patrol today, but Lu’s going to keep an eye on you, sound good?”

“Yes – but you really don’t have to.”

“That’s crap and you know it, Angus,” Lup told him amiably, and Angus decided not to argue.

Lucretia came by after he’d finished eating. Barry passed him off to her, and she carefully tucked the blanket around him before carrying him home.

“I’m sorry, Angus,” she told him as she sat down at her desk. Angus looked over at the book lying open in front of her, but he couldn’t make out the language it was written in – it looked more like it had been rained on and the ink had run than anything, really. When she closed it, the cover looked just the same, though, which Angus thought was weird. “I should’ve remembered you could get sick in the rain.”

“It’s ok, ma’am. Everyone gets sick sometimes.” Angus leaned against her.

Lucretia gave a noncommittal hum. “I can make you a comfy spot on the desk if you’d rather-”

“No,” Angus said, maybe a little too quickly. “This is fine.”

“If you say so.” She didn’t seem to mind, though, instead shifting him slightly to hold him more securely and opening a new book with her free hand. “Do you want to read together?”

Angus nodded, and Lucretia turned to the first page and began to read aloud. He closed his eyes and listened.

The third day, Magnus took over Angus-sitting duty. His fever had broken, and he could appreciate the soft warmth of Magnus’ fur as Magnus held him and chatted, unbothered and not breaking stride even when Angus dozed or just didn’t feel like answering. Davenport came by to visit, telling Angus about shapeshifting, and even sick, Angus’ head buzzed with questions. Davenport, to his surprise, didn’t even seem to mind when Angus got too excited and interrupted with questions. Yes, he could be very big or very small, it didn’t feel much different whatever form he took because it was still him, he still had all his senses even when he was nothing but a cloud, and so on.

Being sick was still terrible, Angus decided, but it wasn’t so bad to have his friends checking in on him all the time. It was only a few more days before Merle pronounced him better, though – specifically, he was “fine, now everyone quit bothering me, like humans don’t get sick all the damn time, for Pan’s sake”.

* * *

 Angus was craving cookies, and he knew exactly who to go to for that. Lup might even let him help her make them, if he was lucky. Her door was open just enough he was pretty sure she wouldn’t mind him coming inside, so he climbed up, knocked on the doorframe, and entered.

He couldn’t see her around, and at first Angus wondered if she’d maybe gone flying – but he’d been outside all morning practicing illusions, and he hadn’t seen her. Barry was on patrol for adventuring parties that might get too close to the wards, and Taako had gone back into his house after breakfast and shut the door, for reasons Angus knew better than to ask about, so she probably wasn’t with either of them.

“Lup?” He looked around, steps growing a little more tentative. “Are you there? I hope I’m not bothering you…”

Angus paused by Lup’s nest, and suddenly found himself lifted off the ground. Lup rolled over and settled back down, still holding him.

“Shh. Nap time.”

“Sorry-”Angus caught himself and lowered his voice. “Sorry. I can go.”

“’sokay. What’s up?” Lup cracked open an eyelid to look down at him.

“I was just going to ask about, um, cookies?”

Lup paused, then nodded. “Chocolate?”

“Yes, please, ma’am.”

“After.”

Angus nodded. “Thank you.” He expected her to put him back but Lup just closed her eyes again. She shifted slightly and Angus blinked.

“Um? Should I…?”

“Nap time,” Lup repeated, a little more firmly, though she glanced down at him again. Angus paused, then nodded again.

“Okay.” A nap was sounding very nice, actually, when he was already surrounded by soft, warm pillows. Lup smiled. Angus squirmed a little and she loosened her hold on him to let him settle. Angus closed his eyes, wondering vaguely if this was what it was like to be a teddy bear.

A noise woke him, and he groggily wondered how long he’d been sleeping – it was dark all around. Then Lup’s wing shifted and let light in. She shifted and Angus heard a soft thump.

“ _What_ do you want,” she grumbled.

“Did Angus come in here? I was gonna show him how I make Fisher’s ducks. Also, don’t throw things, what the fuck.” There was a rustle and Lup’s wing blocked the light again as she caught a pillow on it.

“He’s right here, don’t squish him, furball.”

“Can I have him?”

“No. My boy now.” Angus giggled and Lup sighed theatrically. “See? You woke him up. Rude.”

“Sorry, Ango,” Magnus called cheerfully.

“It’s okay, sir.” Angus craned his neck to look at Magnus. “Can you show me tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sure. Sorry to interrupt.” Magnus waved as he stepped back out of the door. Lup stretched and curled up again.

“You good, Angus?”

“Yes ma’am.” She patted his back and Angus settled back down. “Can you wake me up when you’re ready to make those cookies?”

“Sure thing, little man.”

Angus ate too much cookie dough that afternoon, but it was okay. Lup made him his own pillow pile and invited him to sleep over. A few days later, Lucretia invited him to sleep over too, having set up a little hammock on her desk for him, so he could read comfortably if he wanted. It took him a few tries to get the hang of getting in and out of it, but it was fun to wiggle around and swing it back and forth.

It took a little organizing, but eventually Angus figured out a rotation. It was nice to switch up who he stayed with, falling asleep to Magnus’ slow sleepy breathing or Lucretia’s pen scratching on paper or Lup and Barry talking in soft voices.

* * *

 Fisher’s cave was always pleasantly cool. Angus trotted at Magnus’ heel down into the cavern. Fisher poked their bell out of the water as the two of them approached and sang a welcome.

“Hello, Mx. Fisher, it’s good to see you too!” Angus called.

Magnus held up the latest duck. “Check it out, Fisher! It’s a dragon duck. Duckgon.” Fisher floated forward, tentacles held out eagerly, and Magnus handed it over, grinning. Fisher hugged the duck with another joyful song, then dipped back into the water to float it around. Magnus sat down by the pool and Angus climbed up onto his leg to sit. That got Fisher’s attention and it reached out to him. Angus blinked, then extended a hand back. Fisher wrapped a tentacle around his hand and tugged him down to the ground and towards the pool. Angus followed, stopping at the edge, his toes hanging over. Fisher tugged again insistently.

“I think Fisher wants you to go swimming with them.”

“Oh – I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” Angus frowned. “Actually I don’t even have one here. I guess maybe I should ask Taako when I get back? For next time?” Fisher chimed at him and let go, then took its new duckgon and pushed it towards Angus, then tugged him forward again. Angus paused, then brightened. “Oh! I can do that. Um, do you mind if I take off my shoes? Only I don’t want them getting wet, that’s gross and I hate it.”

“Socks too, wet socks are the worst,” Magnus offered.

Angus wrinkled his nose. “You don’t even wear socks, your claws would rip them.” Fisher chimed an affirmative to him and Angus bent down to unlace his shoes.

“Fisher soaked Taako once, he complained for days.”

Setting down his shoes by the edge of the pool, Angus slid his socks off and tucked them into the shoes. Fisher waited until he straightened up again, then grabbed him and lifted him onto the duck. Angus grabbed its neck as it bobbed in the water, then settled again. He let go and shifted a little, then smiled at Fisher, who chimed happily and pushed him around the pool. Angus laughed and held on, letting his toes trail in the water.

“That looks fun, Fisher why don’t you ever do that for me?” Magnus was grinning, and Fisher sang back at him.

Angus giggled. “It’s a perk of being a little boy, sir.”

Magnus sighed. “I guess I’ll just have to keep swimming with Steven. Oh! I’ve gotta introduce you to him too sometime.”

“How many secret friends do you _have_ , sir?”

“Steven’s the only one left, I swear.”

Angus swished his foot in the water and watched the splash, then looked over at Magnus and did another experimental kick, wondering- yes, that could go really far, if he tried. He just had to move the duck – and Fisher pushed it in a circle that ended with Angus pointed straight at Magnus. He looked over his shoulder and Fisher’s lights flashed. He grinned back and then kicked as hard as he could. His feet weren’t big enough to get all that much water on Magnus, but he pulled his foot back with a yelp.

Angus covered up a laugh and Magnus pointed at him. “I’m gonna get you for that one,” he threatened.

Angus gave him an innocent look, and then Fisher tapped his shoulder. “Yes-” he began as he turned around, and a wave got him in the face, though Fisher caught him before he could slide off the duck.

“Fisher!” Magnus leaned forward, reaching out and taking Angus out of the pool. “What the hell? You okay, Angus?”

“I’m fine, sir – oh, ick, that tastes gross, I think I swallowed some.” Angus stuck out his tongue and tried to wipe the taste off. He looked up as Magnus went still. “Sir? Is something wrong?”

“It – no, Angus, it’s fine. Apparently Fisher is _done visiting_ , though,” he added sternly, glaring at Fisher. Fisher chimed reproachfully at him as Magnus stood up. “Sorry about them, Angus, I don’t know what’s gotten into them today.” Another song followed them out, and Angus wished he could understand Fisher’s music.

He was quiet for a while as Magnus carried him home, water soaking into Magnus’ fur, before speaking up. “When you go back, can you tell Fisher I’m sorry? I don’t know what I did but I didn’t mean t-”

“Whoa, whoa, hey, you’ve got nothing to apologize for, Ango, take it easy. They’re not mad at you, I know them better than that.” Magnus frowned. “Fisher just…got a little too rowdy. Forgot you’re too small to play rough with, that’s all.”

“If you say so, sir.” Magnus patted Angus’ head gently, reassuring. Still, something made Angus think Magnus didn’t quite believe what he was saying.

* * *

 Angus sat among his pillows as Lup and Barry made breakfast, all three of them still occasionally yawning. Angus idly wondered what sort of lungs Barry had to _be_ yawning, or if it was just something he’d picked up from the others. His stomach growled and he blushed as Lup glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled.

“Should be done soon,” she told him. “You wanna go and let everyone know? Taako’s probably still asleep, you’ll have to go wake him up.”

“Yes ma’am.” Angus yawned again, making his way to the door, and Lup cast a quick Mage Hand to pull it open enough for him to get out.

Merle was sitting out in the morning light, buds all over that were slowly beginning to open. He made a grumbling noise of acknowledgement when Angus called to him, but that was good enough for Angus. Lucretia was awake too – mostly. She was still sitting on her bed, upright but slouched with her chin propped on her elbow and eyes nearly closed, but she gave Angus a vague thumbs-up when he poked his head in to pass along the message. Magnus was stretching after his usual exercises and his stomach rumbled the moment Angus mentioned food, making them both laugh. Davenport was tidying in his own house, floating high overhead, and waved down to Angus when he stepped inside.

It was still dim in Taako’s house when Angus stepped inside, knocking on the doorframe and for a moment he thought Taako must have a lot of furniture. Then, casting Light on the tip of his wand, he realized it wasn’t furniture, it was…an assortment.

Angus knew that “an assortment” wasn’t actually a descriptor, but he couldn’t think of any other way to describe the things that covered Taako’s floor. A lot of them glittered in the light as he held it in front of them – bits of jewelery or treasures or coins scattered around. Others were less ostentatious, but still clearly valuable. Angus could see fine vases draped with fancy clothes and weapons made of mithril and armor he was almost certain was enchanted.

He found himself very glad he was so small. There wasn’t much space between the things, though he supposed Taako must have a path, he just had to find it in the maze. Placing his feet carefully, Angus padded among the hoard. “Taako, sir? It’s almost breakfast.” There was no response but he could see the bed, Taako stretched out on it and his hat hanging on one of the bedposts. Angus supposed if he could get closer he might be able to call up and wake him, so he began to make his way towards the bed. On either side of him rose treasures that he was pretty sure must be worth more than his whole family, and he kept running into dead-ends that he didn’t dare try to climb over. There was too much risk of accidentally triggering something magical – or worse, of breaking something.

Angus had made it about two-thirds of the way across when his foot snagged on something.

He instinctively yanked it free and then looked up to find he’d caught on a trailing piece of a mountain of fine fabrics. One that was visibly teetering.

“Uh oh.”

The mountain gave way to a landslide that buried him in very nice cloth. It also knocked him over, but he did land in more cloth, so it wasn’t so bad. He struggled upward, tangling in the bolts until his head popped through and he blinked, looking around and wiggling an arm free to straighten his glasses. Then something hoisted him out of the pile. Looking up, Angus frowned.

“How long have you been awake, sir?” he asked, a little reproachfully.

“Oh, I was awake before you even got here,” Taako said airily, and Angus sighed. “Don’t you usually have a hat on? New look?”

Angus reached up to feel his head. “Oh, no! I must’ve lost it.” He leaned over to peer down and Taako shook his head.

“You’re terrible at this.”

“Being knocked over by your giant fabric mountain?”

“It’s never happened to me.” Taako transferred Angus first to his hand, then to his shoulder and reached down with his tail to rummage through the heap. After a moment he made a triumphant noise and withdrew it with Angus’ cap hanging from the end. Taako plopped it back on Angus’ head and held him up again for inspection. “Better.”

Angus, feet dangling, sighed. “Can we go get breakfast now, sir?”

“Yeah, yeah, one day you’ll learn that image is important, little man.”

“I already have,” Angus muttered, swinging his feet as Taako carried him back outside.

After breakfast, Angus was lying stretched out in the sun by the firepit when he heard Merle.

“Hey, Taako!” Merle tromped into the clearing, his feet sinking into the ground deeper than even Magnus’ did. “Got some travelers coming down the road with a wagon. You’re up.” Angus sat up, half thinking he should go ask Merle what that meant, and then felt a tail wrap around his middle and lift him off the ground. Taako didn’t break stride, just tossed Angus up to his hand and then to his shoulder.

“…hello, sir. Where are we going?”

“Out.”

* * *

 Angus, perched on Taako’s shoulder, held on tight as they headed towards the path, already far beyond the wards. “Sir? What are we doing out here? Merle said there were people coming.”

“Yup, with a wagon and everything.” Taako grinned and Angus frowned.

“I don’t understand. Shouldn’t we be hiding from them? What if they attack you?”

“Angus, _please_. I’m a professional. They’ll never even know we were here.” Taako sprang lightly off the ground and clambered up into a tree, Angus still clinging to him. He set Angus down on a wide branch and sprawled his own weight over several others, lounging with every appearance of comfort.

“But what are we _doing_?”

Taako sighed. “ _Agnes._ We’re here to make sure they think twice before they come here again.”

“By…?”

“By playing poltergeist, duh, focus.” Taako snapped his fingers.

“Oh.” Angus thought for a minute. “That seems ethically questionable.”

“Agnes!” Taako put a hand to his heart as if mortally offended. “We’re doing these people a _service_ , teaching them not to cut corners. Now shush and watch.”

They waited in silence for a little while. Just as Angus was starting to get fidgety, down the path he saw a wagon coming down the path, pulled by a pair of horses and escorted by a pair of guards. The horses nickered anxiously and one of the guards startled, looking around. Taako grinned and leaned over to Angus.

“He’s jumpy, isn’t he? Watch.” He gestured and whispered an incantation Angus recognized as illusion, and something snarled in the bushes behind the guard. He whipped around with a shriek and the horses spooked. They got nearly right underneath Taako and Angus before the driver got control of them again and Taako covered his snickering. Then he looked over at Angus expectantly.

Angus blinked at him for a moment before realizing. He pulled out his wand and looked down, biting his lip as he thought. Just as Taako started to look impatient, Angus pointed and cast his own illusion as one guard looked back. Not far down the road, a large shadowy thing sitting in the path behind them turned and vanished into the brush on the other side. The guards recoiled, and took to arguing over whether to turn back. Angus looked to Taako as he considered the contribution.

Taako leaned over to whisper. “Seven out of ten. Room for improvement.” Angus beamed at him. Taako picked him up again and followed the group for a little while, watching as they slowly began to calm down.

About ten minutes later, Taako took out his wand again and Angus leaned forward, curious. Taako winked and pointed, and Angus saw a coil of rope in the back of the wagon rise up like a snake and then slither forward. An idea struck him, and he leaned up to whisper to Taako, who gave him an approving nod and made another little gesture. The rope slid out of sight and, a moment later, there was a panicked scream. The driver leapt out of his seat, wrestling with the rope wrapped around his ankle.

Angus couldn’t help himself, covering his mouth to smother giggles at the commotion below. One of the guards, pulling with all her might on the rope, lost her grip and smacked herself in the face. Taako was grinning ear to ear. The driver, who had managed to tangle himself even worse in the rope, fought with it – and the rope snagged his belt and pulled down his pants. Angus hid his face against Taako’s shoulder to stifle laughter, feeling him shaking with mirth. When the travelers finally flung the rope into the bushes and Taako let the spell go, he caught Angus’ eye and mouthed “ _that took four minutes_ ” to him with a grin.

This time when the small group below them moved on, it was slow, nervous, and with constant glances around them. Angus, struck by sudden inspiration, decided he could probably get away with burning a spell slot – Taako had plenty even if Angus were to slip and fall. He bit his lip, concentrating, and three small darts appeared at the tip of his wand. One darted down and cracked noisily against a branch, making the three humans below jump. The second followed, to crack against a tree trunk, closer to the path. The third narrowly missed a wagon wheel and the driver wrenched the vehicle around and sent the horses racing back the way they’d come, the guards chasing after it, shedding weapons and armor to run faster as Taako laughed out loud.

“Nice, little man, good theatrics.” He patted Angus on the head and dropped to the ground. “Let’s see what kind of sweet loot we got this time.”

A bolt of cloth had fallen out of the wagon as it turned, and a few silver coins had fallen out of someone’s pocket. Taako pocketed them himself as Angus picked up a satin scarf that had snagged on a bush.

“Is this stealing, sir?”

“Nah. If we did our job right, they’re not coming back for it, are they? Finders keepers.”

“I don’t think that’s legally binding, sir.”

“Love to see the lawyers who’d take _us_ to court.” Taako buffed his nails against his shirt smugly. Angus looked up at him, fifteen feet tall and with more magic than Angus could put a name to, and had to admit he had a point.

The next night, when he went to Lup’s, she looked up from where she’d been hanging over Barry’s shoulder, watching him stitch a tear in his robe. “Oh dip, sorry little man, not tonight.”

“What?”

“Taako’s taking you tonight, sound good?”

Angus frowned. “Taako didn’t want me to sleep over though?”

Lup shrugged. “Changed his mind, I guess.” She grinned and lowered her voice. “I caught him cleaning up all the sharp and dangerous crap all over his floor. You’re a good influence. But you didn’t hear it from me. Go on.”

That made Angus puff up a little and nod. “Yes ma’am!”

When he climbed through the door Taako was already lounging on his bed, hat pulled down over his eyes. Angus cleared his throat and saw an ear twitch. Taako yawned loudly, pushing the hat up and cracking an eyelid to look at Angus. “Shut the door, were you born in a barn?”

“There are at least three reasons why I can’t do that, sir. Lup said I was sleeping over with you tonight?”

Taako flicked a hand at the door, making a magic hand to pull it shut behind Angus, then swung his feet over the side of the bed and made his way over. Angus tried to follow where he put his feet, but Taako moved fast – he had a lot of practice moving through his mess of a room, plus a much longer stride than Angus’. Scooping him up in both hands, he picked his way back across to his bed and put Angus down on the nightstand, where he could see a very large treasure chest at the edge by the wall. With some effort, he pushed the lid open and found it was already made up as a little bed, blankets and all. Taako was already putting out the lights as Angus climbed in, snuggling under the covers. It felt almost like a normal bed, but the walls of the chest made it cozy and enclosed.

The lid closing over him made it a little _too_ enclosed, though, and Angus squeaked. He sat up and pushed it back off, and Taako’s eyes glittered in the dark. Angus huffed at him and heard a faint snicker as he lay back down.

“Night, Agnes.”

“Good night, sir.”

* * *

 As Merle and Magnus cleared away breakfast, Davenport pulled Angus aside.

“Come with me, Angus. I need to talk to you.”

“Yes, sir.” Angus followed him outside. “What is it?” He tried to silence his nerves and focus.

“Angus, you were going to school before you – well, found us, weren’t you?”                                    

“No, sir.” He paused. “But I did have tutors,” he offered.

Davenport glanced at him, and for once he had enough of a face to read surprise. “Okay, well, you’re still a child. Someone needs to teach you – mundane things, not just magic like Taako and I have been helping you with – so I’ve been talking to Barry, and he’s agreed to start teaching you.”

Angus brightened. “Oh! I see.”

Davenport nodded. “You’ll go to his house after breakfast in the mornings, alright? Starting today.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Angus smiled. “I always liked my lessons.”

“Really?” Davenport smiled back. “That’s good. You’re a smart boy, Angus, you should be learning everything you can.”

Angus blinked, waiting, then realized Davenport was done speaking. “O-oh. Thank you, sir.”

“Is everything okay, Angus? You sound a little odd. You’re not getting sick again, are you?” Davenport’s shifting grew a little faster, and his face disappeared in the smoke.

“No, no! I feel fine, sir, honestly. I just – it’s not important, sir. Really.”

“If you’re sure.” Davenport still sounded concerned. “Just let someone know if you need something, though. We’ll do our best for you.”

Angus swallowed a lump in his throat. “I know, sir. Thank you.”

Davenport’s voice softened. “Of course, Angus. You’d better go, Barry’s waiting.”

“Yes sir!” Angus nodded and hurried off.

Barry was, in fact, waiting at the table in his and Lup’s house, and looked over at the sound of Angus’ feet on the floor. Angus paused to take his shoes off before trotting across the room, and Barry leaned down and lifted him up to the table. There were several books – Barry-scale – stacked neatly, and some pencils and notebooks – Angus-scale – where Barry set him down, along with an Angus-sized chair and desk, courtesy of Magnus, he assumed. He hung his satchel over the back of the chair and arranged his things on the desk before sitting down and looking up expectantly.

Barry smiled at him. “Ready to go?”

Angus nodded, smiling back. “I’m ready to learn, sir!”

“Good, good.” Barry took the first book off the stack. “So I figure first we’ll start with something simple, see what kind of math you know, go from there, sound good?” Angus nodded and Barry pulled the book over and flipped it open to a page of problems. “Can you see okay?” Another nod, and Barry nodded back. “Okay, then start from here-”he tapped one of the questions-“and we’ll see how you do.”

Angus, after a minute of glancing back and forth between the book and his paper, took to copying over the problems to solve them under Barry’s eye. Finishing the page, he looked up and held out the notebook for inspection, and Barry leaned over to peer down at it.

Finally he nodded. “That’s good, that’s pretty good, but you made a mistake in twelve.” He tapped the page again and Angus propped his arms on the desk and leaned forward to listen.

They worked on math for an hour or so, until Barry sat back. “Okay, break time.” Angus gladly stood up and stretched, then went to investigate the other books – history, science, literature, the basics. He hadn’t really expected anything else – really, Angus was impressed that they had these texts to begin with, even if the literature book seemed significantly older than the others and the only one that might be really up-to-date was the history book.

After a few minutes, Barry cleared his throat and Angus sat down again. History was next, and Angus scribbled notes as fast as his hand could move. He’d always liked the subject, even if it left him with too many questions bottled up and he had to bite his lip to keep them in.

“So King Linon rejected the peace offer and sent troops-”

“But _why_?”

Then again, even that didn’t always work.

“Well, he wanted to expand his lands.” Barry frowned.

“Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Angus looked back down.

“…That wasn’t what you meant, was it?”

“…No, sir.”

“Angus, hey, what’s the real question? Just ask, it’s fine.”

Angus hesitated. “Well – why would he do that? I know he wanted to expand but there wasn’t anyone to the west of his kingdom, he could’ve gotten more land without having to fight anyone. It just – it doesn’t make sense. He could’ve avoided the whole war just by taking the offer. I don’t know, it’s just – never mind, it’s stupid.”

“No, no, it’s not.” Barry shook his head. “It’s a good question.” Angus looked up. “For one thing, to the west was a desert – that’s a lot harder to settle than the temperate lands south, and more expensive. Not saying it was right, but I guess in his head it made more sense to take the lands people already lived in than to do the work himself.”

Angus’ frown deepened. “But he started a _war_ for it. And people were already _there_.”

“I know, it was pretty terrible.” Barry sighed. “Sometimes people are more concerned about what they want than about anybody else. Does that answer your question?”

“I think so,” Angus said after a moment.

“Good. And hey – you don’t have to worry about asking questions, okay? If you don’t get something, just ask. Sound good?”

Angus smiled a little. “Yes, sir. I will.” Barry might regret that offer later, but Angus decided he’d take advantage of it while he could. By the time they broke for lunch, Barry still hadn’t withdrawn it, and Angus followed him to lunch still bubbling excitedly with thoughts.

* * *

 Angus was curled up in his hammock, winding his hands in the blankets and frustratingly awake. He could hear Lucretia’s slow, even breathing and wished he could just fall asleep. He twisted around and in the moonlight that came through the window he could see the bookshelf.

Lucretia wouldn’t mind if he did a little midnight reading, right? She didn’t even have to know, as long as he didn’t wake her up and he put the book back, it couldn’t be that bad.

Carefully, he climbed out of the hammock and padded across the desk in his bare feet. Then he paused and went back for his wand. He’d need it for light – and if he slipped climbing over to the bookshelf. He made it safely onto the shelves, though, and cast the cantrip to illuminate the books’ spines as he crept along the shelf.

Then he stopped and turned back to take a second look at one book. With some effort he pulled it further out and recognized the cover – it was the book Lucretia had been reading when he’d been sick, before she’d put it away to read to him. She’d never mentioned this book to him, and he couldn’t help himself. Oddly, the title was perfectly legible now: _A Recent History of The Stateran Forest_. Thinking back, he could swear it had been readable when he was sick too, and he wondered why he hadn’t realized what it said before. He pulled it out and pushed it over to the desk, wincing when it hit with a thump and looking over at Lucretia, but she didn’t stir. After a moment of silence, Angus followed the book onto the desk and pushed it open, holding his light up so he could read. The book was old, pages yellowing, but the words were still clear.

_In the heart of the Stateran Forest dwells a powerful force of good. Scholars have debated for years about this force, but the terrible creatures that lurk in the forest prevent more detailed study. The origin of the strangest of these beasts is yet unknown, however it seems clear that not only are they fearfully intelligent, they desire this power for their own._

Angus frowned. Was it talking about Lucretia and the others? They’d never mentioned anything like this to him. And why would Lucretia have this book?

_Many an adventurer has ventured into the Stateran in the hopes of vanquishing these creatures of evil, but returned in failure. Even more have made the journey and never returned. We can only hope that these monstrosities never emerge from the forest they claimed a decade ago, as the horrors laid at their feet are innumerable, ranging from-_

“ _Angus!_ ”

He jumped with a startled yelp, turning to find Lucretia looming over him, and for a second remembered how small he was beside the monsters. “Ma’am!”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Lucretia reached over him, snatching the book off the desk and snapping it shut. “You should be in bed, not snooping in my books.”

Angus shrank down. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I couldn’t sleep-”

“You should still know better than to poke around my things without supervision, Angus. Go to bed. Now.”

“Yes ma’am.” Angus’ voice was small as he scurried back to the hammock. Lucretia put the book back on the shelf as he climbed back in, burrowing back under the covers and mentally kicking himself. He should’ve known better, she was right, and now she was angry at him. He listened to the rustling noises as Lucretia went back to bed, and eventually he drifted off into a fitful sleep himself.

In the morning, he cast Feather Fall on himself as Lucretia got up, and went off to breakfast alone. To his relief, Taako scooped him up almost immediately so they could “go be cryptids, you need practice anyway if you’re going to be any help” so he had an excuse to be away.

For the next few days, he kept his distance, sneaking the books he’d borrowed most recently back to her desk when she was out in the woods and sticking close to the others instead. The problem came when the rotation came around again and it was once again his day to sleep at Lucretia’s. Wrestling with the problem, he finally decided there was nothing for it and went to Lup.

“Lup, ma’am? I need to ask you for a favor. Sort of.”

“Sure little man, what’s up?” Lup picked him up to lift him to eye level.

“Can I stay with you and Barry tonight?”

Lup blinked. “I mean, we love having you, but why? I thought you loved hanging out with Lucretia.”

“Well, yes, but. I don’t think _she_ does anymore.” Angus looked down, tears pricking at his eyes and wishing he’d never thought of messing with that stupid book.

Lup was quiet for a minute, then put him down. “Wait here.” Angus blinked after her as she took to the air. After a minute, he sat down to wait.

A little while later, Lup landed back in the clearing – followed by Lucretia, emerging from the treeline and looking around. Lup gestured in his direction, frowning at her, and he saw Lucretia sigh and nod before coming over to him.

“Angus?  Can we talk?”

“Of course, ma’am.” Angus scrambled to his feet. She beckoned and he trotted after her as she led him a little ways away from camp. Then she sat down to face him and sighed.

“Angus, I’m sorry you thought I didn’t like you anymore. I love you, that’s not going to change. But you have to understand, you can’t just get into things without supervision, it’s not safe for you. If you’d gotten hurt – fallen, or dropped something on yourself, or anything like that – I wouldn’t have been able to help you. And it’s wrong to snoop like that. There are reasons that I don’t show you all my books. But I’m sorry I spooked you so bad. I didn’t mean to. Do you understand?”

Angus stared at her. “Do you-”He swallowed hard. “Do you really mean it?”

Lucretia paused. “Mean what, Angus?”

“That you love me.”

“Oh.” Another pause. Then her voice softened. “Of course, Angus. We all do.”

“Oh,” Angus’ voice was very small, and his eyes had grown hot. Lucretia held out her hands tentatively and he climbed into them, letting her pick him up and bring him in for a hug. For a minute he just held onto her, before finally speaking. “I’m sorry I snooped. I know it was wrong. I won’t do it again, I promise.”

“I already forgave you, Angus. You don’t ever have to hide from us though, okay? Even if we’re mad at you. We still love you.”

“Thank you.” Angus hugged her a little tighter, and before he could talk himself out of it added “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ask me how they get the textbooks. Merchants, probably, considering real-world textbook company practices I can see a fantasy textbook company trying to cut through Scary Forest.
> 
> Okay, so this one was mostly fluff and setup, but hey, that's not a bad thing, right?
> 
> Anyway, the plot is getting ready to kick in. Very soon. I'm _very_ excited to get there. It's going to be a lot of fun.
> 
> Well. Fun for me, anyway. c:<


	4. Illumination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angus came to the Stateran to solve a mystery, and he may have gotten more than he bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is BASICALLY your peak-of-the-rollercoaster-hill moment. Take a look at that view. Enjoy it while you can.

Angus leaned over Taako’s shoulder, peering down at the adventurers below them and humming thoughtfully. Their ranger was holding tight to the packhorse’s reins to keep it from bolting as the bard strummed a tune on their lute. Inspiration struck Angus, and he whispered an incantation. Ghostly notes echoed in the distance for several seconds after the bard’s music lapsed, and he was rewarded with a casual pat from Taako as the adventurers drew closer together, looking around nervously. Angus did feel a little bad about scaring them – but this wasn’t their home, and his friends didn’t actually bother anyone outside the forest. They didn’t even hurt people, just scared them into running away.

Taako shifted, pointing, and Angus leaned further forward to see – and slid over, falling with a startled cry.

He heard Taako bark out an incantation and the light feeling of magic surrounded him, guiding his feet downwards so he landed gently – right in front of the party of adventurers.

They stared.

Angus shifted his weight nervously.

“Um. Hello?”

The paladin opened her mouth and then Angus heard a snort from overhead. Taako’s tail wrapped around him and yanked him back up into the trees. He held on as Taako darted off through the canopy, cackling.

“You’re a terrible cryptid, you know that?”

“I’m only a _little_ cryptid, sir!” Angus giggled.

“Well, bad cryptids don’t get rides home,” Taako informed him as he dropped to the ground again, setting Angus down and striding off. Angus ran to keep up.

“But how am I supposed to be a better cryptid if I’m all tired out from walking?”

“Not my problem, kidlet. I could’ve lost my hat saving your ass there. Then what would you have done? If it comes down to it, I’m saving my hat before I save you.”

“Okay, sir.” Trotting at Taako’s heel, Angus wondered what those adventurers would make of him. Maybe he _would_ become a cryptid. That might be fun, Taako definitely enjoyed it.

“Keep up, Ango, let’s _go_. Davenport’s going to start asking me about making you winter clothes soon and I wanna get it over with so I look responsible.”

“Oh! That’s a good idea, sir. My feet have been getting a little chilly. And I’m sure Davenport will be very glad to see you being on top of things.”

“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

* * *

Despite what he had to say about himself, Taako had made Angus a very nice fall jacket. At first Angus thought he’d forgotten the usual charm, and drooped a little before putting a hand into a pocket and feeling the familiar points of the star. Bundled in, Angus wandered back outside. By the edge of camp, Magnus was talking to Lucretia, looking concerned about something. She glanced over and spotted him, then looked back at Magnus. From this distance, he couldn’t hear what she was saying either and wondered if they were talking about him, or maybe about how Magnus had missed breakfast and wouldn’t get up when Barry went to get him. That had worried everyone, although Angus hadn’t thought it was _as_ serious as the others seemed to. He briefly considered going over to find out, but something drew his attention back in the treeline and before he could think better of it he ducked around one of the houses and out of sight.

Angus darted further into the trees until he was out of sight and slowed down. He wasn’t sure what he’d seen – or heard? He couldn’t remember – but he was too curious not to investigate. If he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could feel something just on the edge of his senses and follow it. After the first painful collision, he took to holding his hands out in front of him to feel any trees in his path.

The birdsong in the trees and rustling of small creatures in the brush grew quieter and quieter until the only sound was Angus’ own footsteps. Finally he opened his eyes and realized he was on a path he’d never seen before. There were brambles growing and sharp thick on either side, the grass growing thick beneath his feet too, like no one had walked on it in years. He followed it, cautiously at first – for all he knew it led to a manticore’s den. Then as he walked, his feet began to move quicker and quicker, until he was running, running as fast as he could, as if someone distant was calling for him and he _had_ to get to them.

Then finally he burst into the glade and saw it, and he went perfectly still.

It was the most beautiful thing Angus had ever imagined – no, more beautiful – and it called to him, glowing silver, promising. He inched forward, not even daring to breathe, mind whirling with sudden understanding – he could do _anything_ with this, solve any mystery, he could _make_ them understand him-

Something slammed down in front of him so hard the ground shook. Angus fell back with a yelp, instinctively looking up as the spell was broken, and met Lucretia’s eyes. She stared down at him and her impassive face was nowhere to be found – instead, for the first time, he could see sharply pointed teeth, stretching around the _edges_ of the mask all the way up to her temples in an expression both terrifying and terrified. He looked past her again as the call reached for him, like it was taking his hand to lead him forward, and stood up. Lucretia lifted her staff from the ground before him and bent down to scoop him up in her free arm, moving away in a hurry. Angus squirmed, making a wordless noise of distress, but for once she didn’t let him go when he protested. Finally, he gave up and blinked up at her newly-revealed true face as that achingly beautiful call receded behind them.

Lucretia relaxed as Angus quieted, and finally she took a knee to set him back down. He still couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Angus? Are you alright?” He could see how she held herself, still poised to move, keeping herself between him and that beautiful light. “Talk to me, Angus.”

“I’m okay, ma’am. What was that thing? How did your face do that? Why did you grab me, I wasn’t going to-”Angus broke off, frowning. “What _was_ I going to do?” It was suddenly hard to think straight, and for a moment he looked past her again, back towards that light.

Lucretia snapped her fingers and startled him back to her. “You were going to use it. It’s not your fault, Angus, but jeezy _creezy_ you scared me there. I knew I should’ve come to get you as soon as Magnus warned me it was a big day.”

“I don’t understand.”

She sighed. “It’s a long story.”

Angus frowned reproachfully. “I _like_ long stories, ma’am, you know that already.” To punctuate this he plopped down on the ground and sat cross-legged, looking up at her.

That got a smile out of her – and, Angus thought, it was very nice to see her smile. “You got me there. Okay, Angus, I guess you’ve earned some storytime.”

Lucretia sat down, shifting to find a comfortable position, and Angus waited. Once she’d settled, he folded his hands in his lap and waited expectantly.

She looked down at him and hesitated. Angus, suddenly a little uncertain, offered, “You could start with your face? Your real one. I thought the mask was your face.”

“Ah, well, at first you were so nervous I thought you might be a little spooked by the whole…giant mouth of shark teeth thing.” Lucretia smiled sheepishly. “And then I just…got into the habit, I guess.”

“I’ve been wondering how you ate with no mouth but it seemed rude to ask.”

“I thought I’d seen you staring at meals.”

“You are very good at sleight of hand, ma’am. I never guessed you had a secret face.”

She laughed. “Well, this – this wasn’t how I wanted you to find out.” Sobering again, she sighed. “To understand what happened, you need to understand that there are things we’ve been hiding from you. We wouldn’t even be able to talk about this if Fisher hadn’t – no, let me start at the beginning. Please, just – whatever questions you have, wait till I’m done, okay?” Lucretia took a deep breath as Angus nodded.

“Over a hundred years ago, something fell out of the sky. Nobody knew what it was, because nobody had ever seen anything like it. It gave people…inspiration, ideas, drive. Just by existing it drove the creation of so many things. Technology, art, even acts of greatness, anything you can imagine, and people called it the Light of Creation. But people wanted to understand what it was, where it came from, how it worked – so a research committee was formed.

“Seven people, all experts in their fields, came together to study the Light – a master evocator, a brilliant transmutater, an expert fighter, a holy man, a scientific genius, a courageous leader-” she smiled faintly and added “-and an _incredible_ chronicler. They worked tirelessly to understand it, but conflicts began to arise. Everyone wanted the Light, everyone wanted the creativity it brought, from whole kingdoms down to lone adventurers, and war broke out all over the world for who would take control of it.” Lucretia’s face, newly expressive, was solemn. “A lot of people died trying to get their hands on it – or worse, trying to get it for other people. The researchers watched all this happening and they agreed they had to find a way to stop it. The Light can’t be destroyed – it’s pure creation, and who knows what would happen even if you could? But finally, they made a breakthrough.

“The Light of Creation wants to be wanted, it wants to be _used_. Its ideal would be that constant battle for control of its power. But it isn’t infinite. If its power could be drained, it wouldn’t be able to call to the entire world to come take it. So they… _we_ decided to find a way to do it.”

Angus stared up at Lucretia, mind racing ahead, starting to piece together what she was going to tell him.

“Finally, we found a way. We could create new _selves_ with the Light, and just by existing we would use it enough to quiet it. But it was still just as powerful, all we could do was make it less able to reach people. So we stole it and hid it in the deepest, darkest place we could, and then we used it to change ourselves. We made ourselves monsters and guardians, and the Light called and created more monsters, turning the Stateran Forest into the most dangerous place in Faerun. And we needed it to. We might be the most powerful beings in the world now, but we can’t use all of our powers, and even the ones we can use took a long time to master. If it hadn’t been for the forest populating with all those terrible things that put you and travelers in such danger, it might have all been for nothing.” Lucretia sighed. Angus tried to visualize her as an ordinary person and couldn’t.

Lucretia continued. “For the last century we’ve lived here, building our own home, doing what we could to feel like people in between playing horror story to keep people from hearing the Light of Creation’s call. It would’ve been impossible without Fisher.” Angus tilted his head questioningly, but kept quiet and waited. “Fisher is the only Voidfish left in the world.” Her eyes closed and she lowered her head sorrowfully. “At first, once people realized the Light was in the Stateran, they came after it. Armies, dragons, all kinds of expeditions, all armed to the teeth. I can’t tell you how many times we almost died. Literally – I lost count after the first few dozen. Some people got further than others. There was one man who stumbled across Fisher’s…community, family, whatever you want to call them. We’d met them, we think the Light made them. Magnus was bringing Fisher some ducks when he found this man tearing everything apart. He managed to force him out, but – not in time to save anyone but Fisher. He brought Fisher back to stay with us, and that’s when we found out – Fisher doesn’t just eat information, they erase it. Anything they’ve eaten, you forget – you physically _can’t_ know – unless you’ve been inoculated by drinking their ichor. So we fed the knowledge of the Light of Creation to Fisher, and the world forgot what it wanted so badly here. It forgot the wars, the betrayals, the reason for that great age of creation. And it forgot what we did – anyone left alive who remembers us, all they know is that a hundred years ago seven random citizens disappeared without a trace, and we’ve never been found. It calmed things down a lot. People still come here, they know there’s something incredibly valuable in the heart of the forest, but they don’t know what it is. We chase them out, keep them out of the Light’s range, and we keep it out of anyone’s hands – even ours. It doesn’t call us like it calls you, but even you could end the world with the Light of Creation, and we’ve been honing our skills for a hundred years longer than you’ve even been alive. So we can’t use it, and we have to be careful what kind of power we bring to bear. The Light isn’t satisfied with just our existing, it’s always trying to tempt us into using it.” She gazed down at him as Angus stared, almost dizzy with this new information piling into his head. “But there you go. Our big secret, revealed.” A pause, and then, gentler, “How are you doing? Need a minute?”

Angus blinked slowly. After a few seconds, he finally spoke, quiet enough that Lucretia had to lean forward to hear him. “Did it hurt?”

She blinked down at him, then nodded slightly. “We all changed so completely, it was – it was pretty rough.”

Angus felt tears prick at his eyes, and he scrambled to his feet and darted forward to hug her as tight as he could. Lucretia lifted him up gently, letting him cling to her neck, and patted his back with a finger.

“It was a long time ago, Angus. It’s okay now.”

“It’s not, ma’am, but thank you for saying so.” Angus sniffled, leaning against her, warm and soft and safe. Lucretia let him cling until he could stop thinking about it and finally let his mind go to other questions. “Why did you make yourselves look like you do?”

“We didn’t. The Light did, I think. We’re all happy with it – especially Magnus,” she gave Angus a smile and he smiled back, still a little shaky, “but we didn’t pick what we became. We’re pretty sure it was based on who we are as people – the twins probably would look a lot different if they weren’t so much alike to start with, for instance.”

He nodded. Then he paused. “You said you had powers you could and couldn’t use. Why? How does the Light of Creation tempt you?” Just saying the words tasted somehow sweet, like when Lup had first taught him how to make s’mores, and for a second he wanted to go back – but he pulled himself back to the present. This was too important.

“Can’t get anything past you, can we? They’re different for all of us – I can teleport people away, I don’t know where, just. Away. I used it a lot in the early days. You know already that Magnus has visions, sometimes? They show him ways the future could pan out. Today he knew something big could happen with you.”

“That’s what you two were talking about!”

“Yes – and don’t think you didn’t scare me when I looked back and you were gone, Angus.” Lucretia gave him a stern look and Angus looked down guiltily, but she patted his head gently and continued. “Davenport has his shapeshifting, Taako can change other people’s forms, you’ve seen how Merle can talk to the plants. Barry can read people’s souls and their memories, it tends to set them on edge or cause flashbacks, but it’s good to scare a stubborn group off. Lup – Lup might actually be immortal? I mean none of us age as far as we can tell, but we’re not sure she _can_ die. She’s been fatally wounded before, but she just…comes right back, phoenix-style.”

Angus considered. “That all sounds cool.”

“Not as much as you might think.” Lucretia grew serious again. “They’re not all bad, but – on days like the one when you came, Magnus can’t even get out of bed in the morning with all the visions in his head. Sometimes for longer than that. If Barry picks the wrong target he can break someone with his soul-gazing. And Lup-” She sighed. “Angus, did you ever hear of a town called Phandolin?”

“No, ma’am, I don’t think so.”

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t have. They were a town not far from the Stateran, and they had…better defenses than we realized, until Lup flew too close and they shot her down. She landed in the middle of town.”

Angus winced. “That must have hurt.”

“It killed her. But…Angus, you know how phoenixes restore themselves, don’t you?”

“They rise from the ashes, everyone knows that, ma’am.” A slow dread had begun to creep into Angus’ gut.

“And for ashes, you need fire. That’s the problem.” Lucretia closed her eyes, and when she spoke again her voice trembled. “Lup can’t help it. The fire destroys everything around her, no matter how badly it tears her up after. All that’s left of Phandolin is a perfect circle of black glass.”

“Oh.” Angus swallowed hard.

“It took her six years to fly anywhere but straight over camp again. She still won’t go near the borders, and it was more than ninety years ago. I don’t blame her.”

“That’s _awful_.” Angus shuddered.

“I know. And there are other things, too. She could create destruction like that at will, if she chose to. Taako can…I suppose you could call it ‘contagious transmutation,’ that transmutes anything the material comes in contact with as well as the target. I can make someone invincible, Davenport can make illusions real. Barry can possess people and force their souls out of their bodies to die or be trapped, Merle could control plants directly, like part of his own body. And Magnus could travel through time. Do you understand how much power that is, Angus? Even just one of those things?”

“I…I don’t know if I can, ma’am.”

She sighed and her hand encircled his back, covering him entirely. “No, I don’t think so. We can never use any of it, because the Light of Creation wants us to. It’s always there, Angus, in our heads. It’s the price we paid to make it silent for the rest of the world. You heard it, didn’t you? When it called you, what did it tell you?”

Angus bit his lip. “It said – I could do anything, learn anything, that I could-”He broke off, looking away.

Lucretia didn’t press him. “It offered you what you want more than anything, didn’t it? And all you had to do was use it. We hear that every day, and on bad days it’s deafening. All seven of us have had days when we couldn’t speak or think for that voice telling us that we could change things if we just used it, that we wouldn’t have to hide anymore, that we could be gods. And it’s not wrong. But we could never go back if we did. It would all be over – we wouldn’t be _us_ anymore.”

Angus was silent for a few minutes, mulling that over, before he finally spoke again, leaning against her. “I’m glad you don’t listen.”

“So am I, Angus.”

“I’m sorry I almost tried to take it.”

“It’s not your fault, we should’ve realized this would happen eventually.” She stroked his hair and Angus slowly relaxed. “Just…don’t go off in that direction alone. Okay? I don’t want to know what would happen to you if it enthralled you. And there are horrible, horrible things that want the Light, and they could kill you without even thinking about it if they found you. Do you understand?”

Angus thought of Fisher, and wondered if they’d been his age when the attack had happened. “Yes ma’am.”

“Good.” Lucretia stood up again to make her way back to camp, Angus in hand.

He leaned back against her chest, feeling her heartbeat at his back, and half-closed his eyes. Then a thought came to him. “Does this mean you can smile more now?”

Lucretia chuckled. “If you don’t think it’ll scare you.”

“It’s not scary, though, ma’am?”

“No?” Lucretia held him out at arm’s length, giving him a blank, masked look, and then her real mouth began to stretch into a crocodilian grin, slowly revealing more and more teeth as big as Angus’ head.

Angus tilted his head thoughtfully. Then he shook his head. “Magnus’ is scarier. He has bigger teeth.”

The smile turned genuine. “Well, most people aren’t so inclined to give me constructive criticism on my technique.”

Angus giggled.

When Lucretia brought him back to camp and told the others that Angus knew about what they’d been, a tension seemed to release among all of them. Angus wasn’t the only one who was glad they didn’t have to keep secrets from him anymore.

It startled Angus to realize he’d been in the forest for more than six months now. He hadn’t really thought about how long he’d stay at the beginning, but he liked it here, and it kept surprising him; not just the big things, either, like Lucretia’s revelation, but the little things: how Magnus was an aggressively cuddly person and if allowed would happily treat Angus like a teddy bear, how Barry had to be chased out of the kitchen whenever chocolate chips got involved or he’d steal them all, how Merle and Davenport played cards every week. There was something so _warm_ about them, and – it was nice. Strange, but nice. Angus hoped it would be a long time before they decided he had to leave.

* * *

Angus strolled quietly through the trees, hands in his pockets as he hummed to himself. There was no sound in the trees around him, not even the rustle of a bird in the branches, and it might have warned him if he’d been paying any attention. Behind him, moving like a ghost among the trees, followed a massive shadow. It crept closer and closer, and Angus never reacted. And then it lunged.

The dire wolf’s jaws snapped shut – passing right through Angus, who kept walking. It pursued, making several more attempts to bite or jump on him to no avail. Finally the wolf, thwarted, growled and loped off to find a more substantial meal.

Overhead, Angus dismissed the image and looked up at Davenport, who’d taken an oddly tendriled form to help him carry Angus through the canopy so he could keep the illusion moving. “How was that, sir?”

“Excellent, Angus.” Angus practically glowed with pride as Davenport set him down on a wide branch and shifted form again to sit by him in his favorite shape. Angus had always wondered about the mustache, and its existence made a lot more sense now that he knew what Davenport had been. “Just remember, a good illusion should fool at least two senses, the more the better. You couldn’t have fooled that wolf if it had been downwind of you. But that’s okay, you’re still learning and I wouldn’t expect you to be able to make elaborate illusions yet.”

“Yes, sir.” Angus beamed.

“That’s enough for today. How are your spell slots?”

“I’m out, sir.”

“I thought so. Hold on.” Davenport stretched into a column, first reaching the ground, then carefully lifting Angus off the branch. “I’ll give you a ride back, it’ll be safer that way.” He changed shape as he lowered Angus to the ground and ended up as an enormous cat – a jaguar, Angus was pretty sure, but much bigger than any normal feline. Davenport settled Angus on his back and looked back at him. Angus shifted a little, then gave him a thumbs up.

“Ready to go, sir!” Davenport nodded and started walking. Angus held on and leaned forward. Davenport was always very soft when he was solid.

“How are your other lessons going?” Davenport kept his head turned away as he spoke. Angus would’ve thought it was rude, but he’d seen what it looked like when Davenport talked with an animal mouth and it was _creepy_.

“They’re really good! We started geometry last week and Barry says I’m picking it up really quick! And I’ve almost got Arms of Hadar down,” Angus added.

“He’s teaching you that?” Davenport sounded amused.

“Taako says if I use the right spells I can scare bad guys off without having to really fight them.” Angus paused, then added “Lup says that’s no fun though.”

“She would.” Davenport’s ear twitched back towards Angus as he continued talking, catching Davenport up on the spells and things he’d been learning. Eventually he became aware of a soft rumbling beneath him and paused, trying to identify it, and then he realized.

“Everything okay, Angus?”

“…Yes, sir, it’s fine! Anyway, Lup says she can teach me-”

“If the end of that sentence includes the word ‘fire’ in any way the answer is no.”

Angus knew Davenport probably meant it, but not in a mean way. He was still purring, after all.

* * *

“Angus! Angus. Angus, come on.”

Angus hid his head under the blanket as Magnus poked gently at him and whined.

“Ango McDango. C’mon, rise and shine.”

“’s _early_.”

“That’s because we’ve got some walking to do. Come on, get dressed and you can sleep on the way. Don’t make me get the ice water.”

Angus shuddered at the thought and reluctantly pushed back the covers. “’M up. Why?”

“I’m gonna introduce you to Steven.  Well, sort of introduce. Get dressed.”

It took Angus a little longer than usual, groggily missing buttons as Magnus ran a brush through his fur and disappeared to return with a delicious-smelling bag of food, but finally he was out of pajamas and in normal clothes. Magnus picked him up and Angus snuggled down in his hands and was asleep again in minutes.

Magnus woke him up again some time later. Angus yawned still, but after his extra nap he felt much more awake. They’d arrived at the edge of a huge lake, where Magnus sat down and took breakfast from the bag.

Angus, through a mouthful of bagel, asked “So who is Steven?”

“Oh, he’s great! I met him year one, when we were all still trying to get the hang of-”Magnus waved a hand vaguely at himself. “-you know. This whole deal.”

“He’s another monster?”

“Yeah! Helped me figure out how my strength worked and all so I could actually touch people without hurting them. I come out here to see him every few weeks or so. He loves me!” Magnus grinned. Angus smiled back.

“I’m excited to meet him, sir.”

Angus leaned against Magnus, enjoying the warm, soft fur until finally Magnus lifted him off and set him down. For all that Magnus was by far the biggest and strongest of the monsters, he was always the most gentle.

“Alright Angus, watch this. And stay put. You’re probably going to get splashed.”

“…splashed, sir?”

Magnus grinned at him, took two steps back, then took a running leap into the water. Angus did in fact get thoroughly splashed, barely turning away in time to keep his glasses dry. He stood up to see Magnus better, watching him swim out towards the center of the lake.

Then a shadow rose underneath him. Angus opened his mouth to shout and then a huge serpent rose out of the water and wrapped its coils around Magnus to drag him under.

“ _Magnus!_ ” Angus ran towards the edge of the lake, desperately trying to think of some way to help.

Then the serpent’s head rose out of the water again and Magnus was clinging to it, punching its jaw. He looked up to see Angus and waved, grinning ear-to-ear. Angus stared. The serpent bellowed and dove again.

It kept surfacing and disappearing, Magnus hanging on tight or wrapped in coils, and finally Angus sat back down, relaxing. Magnus never went under for very long, and he seemed to be having fun. He watched Steven twist and dive and fling Magnus into the air. Magnus twisted around to elbow-drop Steven’s head.

Behind him, someone cleared their throat. Angus turned to see three people approaching: a heavily-built orc, a small blue dragonborn, and a floating robot. The dragonborn strolled up to stand next to him, looking out at the lake battle and whistling low.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Um.” She didn’t seem like she was inclined to interrupt and try to fight Magnus or anything, so Angus figured she couldn’t be too bad. “Like fifteen minutes?”

“Wow.” She grinned. “This is _awesome_.”

Angus smiled. “It’s pretty cool.” Well, if she liked Magnus, she definitely couldn’t be too bad.

The orc came up on Angus’ other side. “So, hey. My name’s Killian.” She held out a hand and Angus shook it reflexively.

“I’m Angus. It’s nice to meet you, ma’am. Are you adventurers?”

“That’s right.” The robot floated over to him, and Angus shook her hand as well. He could tell she was even stronger than she looked – she was the same kind of careful as the monsters were with him. “No.3113, it’s nice to meet you too.”

“I’m Carey,” the dragonborn added, turning reluctantly from the fight, where Magnus was currently caught in Steven’s jaws and prying them open to escape. “Angus McDonald, right?”

Angus blinked. “Yes, ma’am. How did you know?”

“Same reason we’re here, sweetheart.” No.3113 patted his shoulder. “We’re here to rescue you.”

“Yeah, we should…probably go? Like now?” Carey made a protesting noise, looking away from the fight to frown at Killian, and Killian shook her head. “The giant monster fight is cool but we should really get you out of here.”

“Oh. No, it’s okay. Thank you though.”

“What?” All three of them spoke at once. Angus opened his mouth to explain but a loud growl interrupted him. Magnus had emerged from the lake and his ears were pinned flat as he glared down at the three adventurers.

“Angus, get back,” Killian said in a low voice, pushing him behind her and drawing the biggest crossbow Angus had ever seen. Magnus snarled. Angus heard the sound of metal on metal as Carey drew a pair of knives, and while he couldn’t identify the sounds of machinery from No.3113 he didn’t like them at all.

He did the first thing he could think of and pushed past Killian. She wasn’t expecting it and her grab to pull him back was far too slow. Instead Angus darted out to get between both sides.

“No no no please nobody fight anybody! It’s okay!” Angus held out his hands, trying to placate both sides. Magnus snatched him up, cradling him protectively against his chest, and glowered. Angus patted his chest first to reassure him and leaned over. “He’s my friend!” he called down.

Magnus at least stopped showing his teeth once Angus was safely in his hands, though he still glared. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Carey hadn’t put away the knives, but at least she wasn’t moving to use them yet. “We’re here to take the kid back to his family.”

Magnus’ growl sounded at the same time as Angus’ “ _No_!” He pressed closer to Magnus again, hugging him tight.

“No?” Killian echoed, looking distinctly confused.

No.3113 tilted back to see Angus better, frowning. “I think you better explain, sweetheart. Don’t you wanna go home? Your folks are worried sick about you!” She held up a piece of paper. “They’ve had this posted all over, sent out to all kinds of guilds too.”

Angus cast Mage Hand to take the paper and scan the words. He felt a pit open up in his stomach, but he steeled himself and shifted so he could lean over to talk to them again. “I don’t _want_ to go back to my parents. It’s better here.” Magnus shifted slightly, resting a finger on his back comfortingly.

“…better?” Carey lowered her knives, glancing between Angus and Magnus.

Angus nodded. “Anyway, they’re.” He swallowed hard. “They’re not worried about me.”

“They’re offering thousands of gold to anyone who brings you home,” No.3113 protested. Angus just made a face and shook his head.

“That just means they want me back. Not that they’re worried, ma’am.”

Carey and Killian exchanged looks, both frowning. Then Killian spoke up. “Okay team, huddle.” She waved them away from Angus and Magnus and they all gathered close to speak quietly. Magnus’ ears twitched and Angus strained to hear, but all he could get was a few scattered phrases: “serious reward but-” “says a lot that-” “awesome monster fight”.

Finally they reached a verdict and came back. Magnus had calmed down considerably, especially now that the weapons had been put away. Killian looked up at Angus, still cupped in Magnus’ hands.

“Okay, well, if you’re sure you want to stay here, we can’t exactly drag you back, that would be pretty sh- um, pretty terrible of us, right?”

“You can swear in front of me, ma’am, it’s fine. But yes. Thank you.” Angus relaxed. He didn’t want to go anywhere, but he also hadn’t wanted to see Magnus have to fight someone for him. A thought occurred to him. “Um, just a- Magnus? Can you put me down, please?”

“Not a chance in hell, Ango.” Magnus patted his head gently and Angus sighed.

“Can you at least sit down then? I want to talk to these ladies and it’s hard to have to look down.”

“We do it with you,” Magnus pointed out good-naturedly, but he sat anyway.

Angus turned around again. “If you don’t mind we could really use any information you can give us about my parents sending people to get me.”

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Carey plopped down too, tugging Killian after her to lean against. “They’ve been spreading the word that you got kidnapped by monsters and taken here for a solid week now – probably a lot of other groups have finished their prep work too and they’ll be on their way in soon.” Angus nodded, shifting to sit cross-legged on Magnus’ hands.

“Did they ask anyone specific to go, or…?”

“No, just promised the reward to whoever brought you back. I don’t think they really care who.”

“Oh.”

“Not everyone’s gonna be like us, though,” No.3113 warned him. “Plenty of folks’ll be too busy chasing that reward to care you don’t wanna go.”

“Thank you for the warning, ma’am. I do appreciate you not trying to make me go.”

“Well, we weren’t just after the reward.” She smiled at him. “I mean, it was a whole lot of money, but, a little boy alone in the Stateran, we thought we oughta get you out of here safe too.”

“It is like, _super_ dangerous here,” Killian added.

Magnus sniffed. “He’s safe with us, and he’s definitely not _alone._ ”

“If you fight like _that_ all the time, I bet he is,” Carey remarked, and Magnus preened.

Killian tilted her head. “So _us_ is…?”

“Magnus and my other friends,” Angus explained. “They’re all very nice and very strong too. They keep me safe.”

“Well, you look a whole lot safer than we thought you’d be,” No.3113 remarked. “By the way, when we found the letter, I thought, the name McDonald’s real familiar to me for some reason. You wouldn’t happen to know why, would you?”

Angus frowned thoughtfully, then shook his head. “No, ma’am, I’m sorry. McDonalds aren’t very public people, usually, outside fancy circles. I’m not sure why it would be so familiar.”

She shrugged. “Reckoned it was worth a shot. Thanks anyway.”

“Sorry. If I think of anything I’ll let you know.” Angus hesitated a moment, then leaned forward. “What other kinds of adventures have you had?”

“Carey infiltrated a dragon cult once,” Killian offered, and Magnus’ ears perked up.

“Seriously? How’d that happen?”

“Oh, it was awesome!” Carey grinned and launched into the story. Angus shifted to lie on his stomach and rest his chin on his arms as he listened.

With the initial conflict sorted out, Magnus and Carey hit it off. Angus learned that Carey and Killian had been dating for three years and couldn’t agree on whether it was four months or three and a half, that the three of them had taken to calling themselves Team Sweet Flips after an incident with a wild magic sorcerer, and that Carey and Killian had met No.3113 when they helped her sneak out of Neverwinter after she’d escaped a secret lab.

“A secret lab, ma’am?” Angus’ eyes were wide – that sounded just like something out of a Caleb Cleveland book, albeit from the odd period where it had gotten a little fantastical. “What were you doing there?”

“Working as an assistant, mostly.” No.3113 looked more than a little irritated. “Took a while, but then I remembered I wasn’t always a robot, y’see. So I ran off and found these gals, and we’ve been adventuring ever since.” She slung one enormous arm around Killian, who patted her back cheerfully.

“She’s pretty great! It’s good to have a third party around, you know?”

Angus nodded. “I bet it is, ma’am!”

Magnus finally sighed, putting Angus on his shoulder and pushing himself to his feet. “We’d better get home for lunch. It was awesome meeting you guys though, you should visit sometime!”

“What, in the forest of death?”

“I don’t mind if you two don’t.”

“Yeah but you’re sort of dead already, I think?”

Magnus waved it off. “It’s fine! We can come meet you, nothing bothers us anymore, all the monsters here know to leave us alone.”

Carey shrugged. “Okay, sure! Here – Angus, do you have a Stone of Farspeech?”

“Yeah!” Davenport had duplicated one for him – Angus had left his at home so nobody would try to call him. Magnus finally put him down and Angus held out the stone. Carey synced them and gave him a thumbs-up.

“We’ll call you, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am. It was very nice to meet you!”

Killian smiled at him. “Nice meeting you too, Angus. I’m glad you’re okay here.”

“Yeah, and it was nice to meet you too Magnus!” Carey grinned up at him. “Next time you go all Fantasy Wrestlemania, give me a call first so I can come watch, that was _badass_.”

“Oh hell yes, everyone else is sick of watching my sweet moves.” Magnus gave her a toothy grin that didn’t seem to intimidate her at all, to Angus’ delight. He shook hands with all three adventurers and let Magnus pick him up again. They escorted Team Sweet Flips to the path and he and Angus waved goodbye as both groups set off for home.

When they reached camp Magnus whistled loudly to get everyone’s attention and announced “Okay, guys, good news and bad news! Good news is, we made some new friends!”

Barry gave him an uncertain look. “…And the bad news?”

Angus looked down, shoulders hunching. “My parents are offering rewards to any adventurers who bring me back to them.”

“…oh.”

Angus nodded. Magnus put him on his shoulder and related the story – apparently Steven had wriggled free of him to go home, and he’d been climbing out of the lake when he saw Angus talking to three strangers and panicked.

“Well, I’m not surprised you two decided to make friends,” Davenport remarked, and for half a second Angus’ heart sank before he realized that no, despite the words Davenport didn’t sound disappointed – he sounded _amused_ , if anything.

“Hey, I did come pretty close to fighting them.”

“I’m glad you didn’t, sir. They were very nice ladies. They came to help because they thought I was in trouble.”

Davenport looked up at him. “About that – Angus, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Of course, sir.” Angus nodded and Davenport lifted him down. He followed Davenport back to his house and Davenport closed the door behind them. He turned back to Angus and motioned to him to sit. Angus sat down, watching him intently.

Davenport frowned, considering for a moment, before he finally spoke. “You know, I’m not saying we’re not – glad, that you want to stay with us. But…is there a reason you don’t want to go back to your parents?” Angus hunched his shoulders and Davenport shook his head hurriedly. “Angus, you’re not in trouble, really. I just want to know why you’d rather be here with us than home with them.”

Angus was quiet for a long moment before he finally spoke. “You know how Magnus said they were offering a reward because I got kidnapped?”

“Yes?”

“I left a note when I left saying I ran away. And they didn’t say kidnapped in the letter anyway. I read it. The word they used was ‘stolen.’”

Davenport paused. “…oh.” He was silent for a little bit too. Then he held out his arms, a little awkwardly, and Angus gladly went to him for a hug. Davenport patted his shoulder carefully. “We love you, you know that, right?”

“…yes, sir.” Angus rested his head against Davenport’s chest. “Thank you, sir. I’m glad I’m here.”

“So am I, Angus.” He could hear the smile in Davenport’s voice.

* * *

For the next few days, Angus stayed closer to camp. One morning, he was at lessons with Barry as Lup and Taako did one another’s hair and chatted in the corner.

“So, sir, why are you teaching me this?”

“What, biology?”

“Yes, sir, biology is important, I know that. But why are you teaching me when you don’t have any?” Barry looked down at him, startled, and Angus gave him his most innocent look until he couldn’t hold it anymore and broke into a grin. It took Barry a moment, but then he chuckled and reached out to poke Angus’ side.

“Alright, Mr. Comedian-”

Angus jumped at the touch and giggled. “Sir! I’m ticklish!”

Barry grinned. “Really?”

“Yes, I-” Angus broke off as some instinct made him look over. The twins were watching him, and the way their ears pricked and eyes gleamed reminded him of the stray cats that he’d seen in the garden back home, watching birds and waiting to pounce. “…uh oh.”

The twins lunged across the room at the same time as Angus scrambled into Barry’s lap. “Protect me!” Barry’s hand automatically curled around him, lifting him up, and Angus looked up to find Taako and Lup on either side. Taako reached for him and Barry batted his hand away.

“Barry, give us the boy,” Taako frowned reproachfully at him.

“Don’t do it, sir!” Angus called from the safety of bony fingers.

“ _Barry_ ,” Lup wheedled.

Barry gave a thoughtful hum, and then, in one quick movement, stood and ducked past Taako to give himself space. “Nope. Sorry, hon.”

Lup gasped, putting a hand to her chest. “I can’t _believe_ my own _boyfriend_ has _betrayed me_ -”Taako made a grab for Angus. Barry evaded easily and shook his head.

“I’ve known you two for a century, you didn’t think I’d see that coming?”

Lup appeared behind him, grabbing his arm, but Barry transferred Angus between hands to rescue him. Angus clung to him, giggling as Barry tugged his arm free and spun to catch Taako’s next attempt.

“Come on, Barry, we just wanna see him for a minute.”

“You can see me fine from over _there_!”

“You shush!” Angus giggled again and then ducked down behind Barry’s fingers.

“Nope, I’ve been chosen, you have to get through me to tickle him.”

“ _Babe_.” Lup was laughing.

“Barold, don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” Taako gave them his most charming smile. Barry returned an unimpressed look and cupped his hand over Angus just in time to catch Lup out.

“Are you a supervillain now? Is that happening?”

Taako threw up his hands. “Fine! Clearly this isn’t working, so we’ll just have to tackle you and pry him out of your hands.”

“Good luck-”Barry spun around again and held Angus out of reach as Lup went for him. “Hey!”

Taako huffed and pointed. “Angus! Come here or no magic lessons for a week!”

Angus’ eyes widened, but then he shook his head. “You’re just saying that to get me!” He stuck his tongue out for good measure. Taako’s offended gasp made him laugh and add “You wouldn’t!”

“The _attitude_ on this kid! Now I _have_ to tickle him, Barry this is a disciplinary matter! You don’t want him to turn into a brat, do you?”

“You’re so full of _shit_!” Barry laughed. He darted around the house, evading pursuit with Angus in hand. Then Angus saw Taako vanish and took the initiative. He grabbed his wand and pointed it between Barry’s fingers, and just as Taako blinked back into reality to capture him he cast Prestidigitation. The puff of smoke in his face startled Taako long enough for Barry to redirect.

“Oh, so _that’s_ how it’s gonna be, huh? You wanna try us, little man?” Angus looked up at Taako for a second, then glanced back. Barry was standing near the door, stopped with Lup behind him and Taako in front. An idea struck, and Angus turned back to Taako and struck the dueling pose Taako had taught him last week. Taako paused, raising an eyebrow at him.

Than Angus grinned up at him. “Psych!” He tapped himself instead and disappeared. It wasn’t real invisibility, just camouflage, but the twins weren’t expecting it. Barry got it quickly and crouched, opening his hands to let Angus jump free and run behind him, a blur in the air.

“Hey!”

The illusion wouldn’t last long but it gave him a chance to hide. It faded and he darted under the table just in time.

“Where’d he go- Barry!”

“Hey, I didn’t see either, don’t look at me.”

“Yeah, you’re right, you traitor.” Barry shrugged expressively, snickering, and Lup made a face at him before turning to survey the room.

“He’s still here somewhere, we just have to find him. Ready or not, here we come!”

The first place they checked was Lup and Barry’s nest. Angus frowned – that _would_ have been a good spot. Or, well, it would have been a good spot if Lup wasn’t already feeling through the pillows for hidden boys. He wondered if he might be able to sneak into it once they’d already looked there.

The nest, of course, turned up nothing and the twins began prowling around the house looking for him. Angus ducked around the leg of the table just in time as Taako bent down to look underneath it. He flattened his back to it, hands covering his mouth to quiet the giggles that wanted to bubble up. Lup wasn’t nearly as stealthy as Taako was, and as he stood up again and she circled around Angus slid around the leg to the other side to escape. He made it to the other end of the table, closer to the door, and hesitated, considering the distance and wondering if it was worth the risk of getting caught. Then he realized Barry was still standing between him and the door.

He waited till they’d turned their backs again and sprinted to Barry, narrowly making it behind him before they both spun around.

“Was that running?”

“I heard it too.” Taako eyed Barry, who gave him an innocent look.

“He knows something! Barry, where is he?”

Well, it had been worth a try. As Lup and Taako moved towards them Angus raced for the door.

“Run, Angus!” Barry called as the twins raced after him.

Angus made it through and ran around the corner as Lup and Taako darted outside. They stopped to look around, but didn’t quite spot him peeking out to watch them.

“Think he went inside again?”

“I don’t think he’s fast enough to beat us there, we’d see him. I bet he’s still out here somewhere.”

Angus wrinkled his nose. It was true, but still.

“Angus!” Lup called. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” They began to move towards his hiding spot and Angus scurried around the back to get behind them, creeping around to escape their ears. He considered hiding in the brush, but dismissed the thought immediately – that wouldn’t be fair. Instead, watching for them carefully, he snuck out of hiding to make his way around behind Taako’s house next door.

He’d gotten around to the front again, the twins nowhere in sight, but he could faintly hear them – behind Merle’s house, he was pretty sure. He hung back by the corner of the house, wondering where he should go from here until the matter was decided for him when Magnus emerged from his house, saw him, and waved.

“Hey Angus! Why are you sneaking around like that?”

Angus yelped as Lup and Taako both came running and bolted for cover, crawling under Taako’s door. He’d have to thank Taako later for the Darkvision lesson – he couldn’t have seen anything if he hadn’t been able to cast it. Looking around, Angus ran for a pile of items not too close to the door and cast another illusion. Taako wouldn’t notice one more object lying among the hoard, so he made himself look like a jeweled breastplate and huddled down, waiting.

Taako and Lup burst into the room, already looking around for him, and Angus grinned when their eyes swept right over him. He would also have to thank Davenport – now he just had to keep from laughing and giving himself away. They both came into the room, picking their way over the piles, door closing behind them.

“Angus,” Taako singsonged. “We know you’re in here!”

“Come out and we’ll make s’mores tonight,” Lup coaxed. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Angus seriously considered that for a second, but then decided he was pretty sure he could get her to agree to that anyway, especially if he got Magnus in on it, so he stayed put, holding the illusion together.

“Come on, he’s gotta be in one of these.” Taako waved her over to the nearest heap and they began to search it. Angus watched with delight – he was _fooling them_! His illusion was good enough to convince them and he hugged himself excitedly.

They were on the third pile when Lup huffed irritably, feathers fluffing out. “You know, we would have found him by now if you ever actually _cleaned_ in here!”

“Sounds too much like work. Anyway, he’s using illusions.” Taako glanced around again, tail twitching. Then he went back to digging through the pile until they were satisfied Angus was nowhere to be found in it. Another sweep of the room and Taako shook his head. “Look, you look over there, I’ll go that way.”

That was a little more of a problem – Angus’ illusion wouldn’t stand up to being touched, and with them separated it would be harder to keep track of when he was safe to move to a new hiding spot. He kept looking back and forth, trying to follow both of them as they searched.

Lup was getting too close for comfort, and he was watching her when he realized that both of them had gone very _quiet_.

Then his illusion popped and Taako snatched him up. “GOTCHA!” Lup jumped up, grinning wide as Angus looked up to see Taako’s matching grin.

His eyes widened. “Oh no!”

“Oh _yes_!” Taako and Lup crowed triumphantly. Then they pounced.

Angus squealed, wriggling in Taako’s hold as both of them tickled him mercilessly, laughing above him. He shrieked with laughter, clutching onto Taako’s hand holding him secure above the ground. They didn’t relent till Angus couldn’t breathe, tears coming to his eyes as he flailed his arms at them. “Stop, stop!” he gasped out, and finally they let up. Taako, still laughing, collapsed into the nearest pile, followed by Lup, who sprawled out on her stomach to spread a wing over both of them. Angus crawled out of Taako’s hand to cuddle up between the two of them, catching his breath.

They were all quiet for a few minutes, barring Angus’ occasional residual giggle, until he finally spoke again. “That was fun.”

Taako hummed agreement. “That was some good spellcasting back there, little man.”

Angus lit up. “Really?”

Lup nodded, ruffling his hair with one finger. “Yeah.”

Angus beamed. “Well, I did learn from the best.”

There was the slightest intake of breath from next to him, and he saw Taako’s eyes flick to him. After a moment, Lup snickered. Taako looked over at her, then reached over to shove her, glaring. Lup buffeted him in the face with her wing and Angus giggled again.

“I never really got to play much back home,” he admitted. Lup and Taako both looked down at him.

“Yeah, well, you’re here now,” Taako said.

Angus nodded. “It’s nice.” He smiled up at them and cuddled up against Taako’s shoulder. Lup tucked her wing closer around the two of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway how's THAT for an AU? Skippy and I have been SO excited to finally drop that lore bomb. what did you think tell us everything if you knew how much time we've spent building this lore you would either be very impressed or thoroughly horrified
> 
> other notes:  
> -I know big cats can't purr but Davenport is a shapeshifting smoke monster _he will purr if I want him to purr_  
>  -SHE FINALLY GETS TO SMILE it's been VERY annoying not being able to let Lucretia smile all fic. #letlucretiabehappy2kforever  
> -The plan is currently three more chapters but I'm going to be honest here i could write so many oneshots in this same universe so I don't think that third chapter will be the end of it. We have a lot of lore to draw on here.  
> -It makes me laugh that the keep-away/hide-and-seek bit could basically be a horror movie scene, except instead of the stakes being "our hero is going to be HORRIBLY KILLED by a terrible monster" they are "our hero is going to be MERCILESSLY TICKLED by his family who loves him and would kill a man for him" and angus is having an absolute blast throughout it.  
> -Magnus: ruining Angus' plans to hide since Chapter 1.
> 
> If you follow me or Skippy on tumblr, you may have seen this, but if not here's the other image of Lucretia Skippy drew to show me her monster concept. Doesn't she look awesome?
> 
>  
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157001558@N08/35838495214/in/dateposted-public/)  
> 


	5. Highs and Lows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angus has two perfect days, and wheels start to turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the weather got colder, fewer adventurers came into the forest, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any. Angus was accompanying Magnus on a trip to gather wood and had wandered a little ways away from him when a man in plate armor and another man in leather burst out of the trees in front of him.

“You! You’re the McDonald boy, aren’t you? Come with us, quick!”

Angus blinked. “No thank you. I’m fine here.”

The man in plate frowned. “You don’t understand – we’re here to save you!”

“That’s very kind of you, but really. I’m fine here! It’s nice.” Angus smiled cheerfully.

The two adventurers traded looks and chorused “Charmed.” Then the heavily armored man looked back at Angus.

“Why don’t you just come with us and come see your parents? I’m sure you’ll think much more clearly once you’re out of here-”

“You’re not _listening_ , I don’t _want_ to go anywhere.” Angus crossed his arms petulantly. He was almost eleven, he knew his own mind! People should listen to him.

The man sighed. “Okay, fine, if that’s what it takes…” Angus frowned and opened his mouth to ask what that meant, but then the man stepped forward and grabbed him by the arm. “You’ll thank me when the spell breaks, now come on before-”

“Hey! Get off me! I don’t want to go!” Angus dug his heels in as the man began to pull him towards the path. He tried to tug his arm free and the man’s grip tightened.

“Stop it, I’m _helping_ you – can’t you _do_ something?” he snapped at his partner.

“Like what, crack him over the head? I’m not a wizard, I can’t put him to sleep! He’s ten, handle it!”

“Let me go!” Angus’ pulling just made his “rescuer” hang on even tighter, until Angus yelped. “Ow, _ow_! You’re hurting me, stop it!” No sooner had the words left his mouth than there was a crash and heavy thuds that he knew very well. Magnus burst into view with a snarl and the two adventurers froze, staring. Into the sudden silence, Angus, arm still aching, murmured “Oh, you’re in _trouble_.”

Magnus opened his mouth, baring his teeth, and that did it. The man dropped Angus’ arm, scrambling backwards and letting him dash towards Magnus, who swept him up and cradled him protectively. Glaring down at the strangers, Magnus roared, one hand covering Angus’ whole head to muffle the sound. The two adventurers turned and bolted with twin shrieks of terror.

Once they were gone, Magnus looked down at Angus anxiously. “Fuck, I’m sorry Angus, I should’ve stayed closer to you, I didn’t hear – did they hurt you?”

“Just bruised, I think.” Angus pushed his sleeve up and prodded the arm with his other hand, wincing. “But you came. Thank you, sir.” He smiled up at Magnus.

Magnus gave him a quick, careful hug against his chest. “Well, duh. Listen, if that happens again, yell. Just start yelling for us. We’ll come get you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Anyway, guess what? Those guys came in on horses. Guess who’s not leaving on them?”

“Those guys?”

“You got it!” Magnus grinned down at him. “They freaked out so bad when I found them they pulled loose and ran.” He paused. “I hope they don’t get eaten by a bear or something.”

“Horses are fast.” Angus shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll be okay, sir.”

“Still. I’ll go and check on them later. Shouldn’t be too hard to sniff them out.” Magnus patted Angus’ head. “Come on, let’s get that tree home before Lup starts lighting my house on fire to stay warm.”

* * *

 Candlenightstime with the monsters was fun. Merle grew the biggest Candlenights bush Angus had ever seen and he got to practice Dancing Lights and help the monsters decorate it. Even with the cold getting harsh, Angus didn’t mind – his winter clothes were snuggly and warm. The snow fell heavily in the forest, but he’d only had to wade through chest-deep snow once before Davenport had noticed his struggles and told everyone they’d have to either clear the snow out of camp or carry Angus around.

One afternoon he’d teased Lup about the hideous turtleneck she was bundled into and she’d retaliated by popping him into its neck. It was nice and warm there, though, so he’d just giggled and wiggled around to make himself comfortable. When Lucretia had come by looking for him and he’d poked his head out, she’d laughed and laughed and Angus had felt even warmer. Magnus kept disappearing for long stretches of time – patrol, he explained to Angus, and checking in on Fisher. They didn’t like the cold much, apparently, and they’d been spending a lot of time hiding underwater. Angus could sympathize.

Finally Candlenights itself came and Angus spent the whole day with the twins and Barry in a house that was almost too warm for comfort, with all the cooking and baking going on. The smells more than made up for it, though, and Barry kept sneaking bites away for himself and Angus when Taako or Lup got distracted. Magnus left again with an enchanted blanket in hand and came back with Fisher wrapped around him and the blanket draped over both of them. Once they arrived, Fisher promptly stole the blanket, darted into Magnus’ house, and refused to come out, so Magnus and Lucretia went to keep them company while everyone waited for dinner.

When it was finally ready, Taako and Lup carried bowls and trays in both hands and tails, Angus riding on Taako’s shoulder. Fisher stole him as soon as Taako walked past them, chiming happily at Taako’s indignant squawk. Magnus snickered and Taako clipped his ear with the bread bowl. Angus patted Fisher’s tentacle as he was set down between them and Lucretia and settled in to eat.

They ate together for most meals anyway, but it felt a little different tonight, and not just because Fisher was there too, music added to the dull roar of conversation and banter among the group. Candlenights had always been a fancy but above all _quiet_ affair at home, Angus in his best clothes with his best posture, speaking when spoken to and otherwise behaving himself. Here the energy crackled in the air as Taako and Lup started a shouting match over which of them had really been the one to con a traveling con-man out of half his fake stock when they were kids and Merle, looking forlorn and a little bald with all his leaves shed, leaning over to whisper something to Davenport that made him snort eggnog out his nose. Angus was on his third brownie and eyeing his fourth cookie when the noise of Magnus pushing his chair out drew his attention.

Clearing his throat as he stood up, Magnus announced “I…have to go…powder my ass. Excuse me.” Then he disappeared out the door as Davenport sighed. Lucretia and Lup exchanged looks and burst out laughing. Reaching for another cookie, Angus jumped as a branch unfolded from the table and blocked his hand. He looked up to catch Merle’s frown. “You’re gonna make yourself sick, pipsqueak.” Angus sighed and nodded.

Lucretia ruffled his hair affectionately. “Don’t worry, they’re not going anywhere.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Angus leaned over and she let him rest against her hand.

As the meal wound down, Davenport looked over at Angus. “So, Angus, we haven’t really…done present exchanges in a while – they’re hard to do when we have to stay here, you know, so-”

“It’s okay, sir! This has been the perfect Candlenights. I don’t mind not having presents.” Angus smiled at him. Davenport cleared his throat.

“Well – you know what, just put on your coat. There’s something we have to show you.” He motioned to the others and they all started to rise from the table. Angus got his coat, confused, and as soon as he was buttoned in Lup plucked him off the table and the group moved outside. Magnus was waiting out there, standing next to a tree by Davenport’s house and grinning wide. Then Angus saw the box hanging from the tree, shoulder level to Magnus.

“Sir…?” Angus looked to Davenport.

“We had a hard time coming up with traditional Candlenights presents to get you, but we thought you could use some space that’s just yours, instead of always having to share ours. So we’ve been building you your own place. Magnus put most of it together, but we all chipped in.”

Angus stared. Lup carried him over and he could see the ladder hanging from the bottom. There was a little round door set into the front, and Angus leaned forward to open it. She helped him climb into the little house and he looked around. It looked like a miniature of the monsters’ houses – in the corner was a neatly-made bed, with blankets that had a pattern of stars and very fluffy pillows. The nightstand beside it had a lamp, and when he tapped it, it lit up with a soft glow that changed colors as he touched it again, until it turned off. There was a bookshelf on the other side of the nightstand with several books already in it, and he recognized them as favorites he’d borrowed from Lucretia. There was a big closet, already full of his clothes, and a little bathroom, and a soft, pretty green rug that he carefully stepped around so he wouldn’t be walking on it with his shoes on. In another corner was a little desk, carved from the wall just like Lucretia’s, and a padded chair to sit on. As he explored he found a trapdoor, and opened it to see the ladder from the top. There was another handle on the other side, and when he opened the trapdoor he found more rungs – he could climb in and out without anyone needing to lift him in.

Angus looked up to see the monsters gathered around and watching him anxiously. “So?” Magnus asked. “You can still sleep over with us anytime, but – do you like it?”

Angus opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. It took a moment before he could get out any words. “It’s _perfect_. Thank you.” They all visibly relaxed at that, but he frowned. “I didn’t get any of you anything. I didn’t know what to get-”

Davenport waved that off. “Having you here is enough.”

“Happy Candlenights, Angus.” Lucretia smiled at him.

“It’s perfect,” Angus said again, and trotted forward to be picked up again and hug all of them.

* * *

 As the weather got colder, even the occasional adventuring party dried up. The snow piled up in drifts nearly waist-deep on the twins and Merle barricaded himself inside and flatly refused to come out except to eat. Magnus waded around clearing paths for everyone to walk through and Angus found himself very glad his new house was so high up – if it had been further down, he might have been buried! Taako and Lup had an ongoing feud about whether or not it was cheating to use magic to build a snowman, and they recruited him into it – it ended with him building his first snowman and helping them with theirs (secretly he thought Lup was right), and they made hot cocoa after so his fingers got warm again.

Once the winter began to pass, though, the Stateran became an increasingly popular adventuring destination. Davenport put his foot down and insisted Angus not leave camp alone anymore. Most times they could evade people looking for him and drive them off without Angus being seen, but he did get a front-row seat to his friends’ best acts regardless – No.3113 had been right when she’d warned him people wouldn’t listen to him. Merle’s plants reached out and pulled Angus out of sight of one group, and when they’d rushed after him they’d found nothing but wickedly sharp thorns and poison ivy, while Angus, loosely cocooned in vines overhead, watched quietly with his chin resting on his arms. Davenport had stalked another group through the trees, form constantly shifting into ever more unsettling configurations, and when selective corporeality meant an arrow passed straight through him and he bit their wizard’s staff in two they’d fled in a panic. Angus liked Barry’s method the best though.

When his Stone of Farspeech went off Angus nearly jumped out of his skin – he’d almost forgotten about it. Scrambling off his bed, he ran over to the desk where he’d left it. “Hello?”

“Hi Angus! It’s Carey.”

“Oh! Hello, ma’am! How are you?”

“We’re good, how are things with you?”

“Really good!” Angus beamed. “Magnus built me a house!”

“Seriously? Fancy.” Carey laughed. “Anyway, is that invitation to visit still open? We thought we might want to take you up on it.”

“Um – hold on, I have to check.” Angus muted the stone and pushed the front door open, leaning out to look around till he spotted Magnus by the firepit. “Magnus!” He waved him over.

Magnus lifted him out of the house. “What’s up, Ango?”

“Carey wants to know if they can come visit.”

“I should probably check with Cap’nport on that – hang on.” Magnus’ ears pricked up, swiveling slightly, and he nodded. “He’s home, be back in five minutes.” Magnus put him back and Angus strained his ears and after a moment, heard what he thought Magnus must have – faint singing from inside Davenport’s house. He took a second to envy Magnus’ senses – imagine what a good detective he could be with ears like that! – before unmuting the stone again.

“Hello again! Magnus is going to check that it’s okay. I think it is though.”

“Cool, cool. So how’ve you been?”

They chatted for a few minutes, Angus wandering around the room as he talked, before Magnus came back, grinning. “He says it’s fine as long as we stay in camp!”

“Did you hear, that, ma’am? When did you want to come?”

“I heard it. Friday good for you guys? Around noon?”

“Yes ma’am!”

When Friday arrived, Magnus and Angus went out to the path to wait. Angus sat sideways on Magnus’ shoulder, leaning back against the side of his head with his legs stretched out in front of him. After a while Magnus’ ears pricked up, and soon Angus heard voices approaching. He glanced over at Magnus quizzically and Magnus nodded, grinning. Angus turned, swinging his legs over to face front again so Magnus could start walking. His stride was massive, and it didn’t take long before Team Sweet Flips came into view.

Angus waved, beaming. “Hello ma’ams! It’s good to see you again! Excuse me,” he added to Magnus, before casting Feather Fall and hopping down. Magnus made an anxious noise but relaxed again when Angus touched down safely and trotted over to their visitors.

No.3113 flashed a smile at him. “You too, Angus! Been doing alright out here?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Angus chirped. “You were right, lots of people have been looking for me.” He frowned. “Thank you all for not trying to kidnap me when I said I didn’t want to go.”

Carey patted his head, and Angus made a face at her. “Yeah, we’ve been hearing a lot of people are saying you were under some enchantment.” Magnus snorted loudly at that and Carey grinned up at him. “Hey Magnus! Do any cool wrestle moves lately?”

“My _life_ is a cool wrestle move,” Magnus said, grinning. Angus trotted back to him and tugged on his pant leg.

“Sir, walk and talk! I want to introduce them to the others!”

Killian smiled. “Well, easy to see you’re not scared of him,” she remarked to Angus as the group moved off down the path. Magnus walked behind them very slowly, taking one step for everyone else’s ten. Angus led the way as he chattered happily.

“Barry might ask you a bunch of questions but he doesn’t mean it to be rude! Also don’t be scared of him, he’s a big skeleton man but he’s nice!”

“Well, can’t really say skeletons scare me much anymore, but I’ll remember!” No.3113 chuckled. Angus giggled as they came up on the camp and he heard a low whistle from Killian.

“That’s where you guys live?”

“Yeah!” Angus smiled back at her. “I’ll show you my house! They made it for me for Candlenights! It’s really cool!” Magnus preened. Carey gave him a thoughtful look.

The other monsters emerged to come meet their visitors. Angus had been right – Barry was immediately fascinated by No.3113. Killian struck up a conversation with Lucretia, who was happy to sit down with her and talk about the oddities in the local monster populations. Angus showed Carey around, and she swarmed up the ladder easily to check out his house. It was exciting, having visitors. He loved the monsters but other people were _interesting_!

Later, Angus perched on Lup’s shoulder and listened as they chatted with their visitors. Magnus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“So, No.3113, you’re a ghost, right? How’d you die, anyway?”

“Magnus!” Barry glared at him.

“It’s alright!” No.3113 waved a hand. “I’m alive now, so it’s fine. My family ran – well, runs – the Redcheek apple press in Hogsbottom? I was making a delivery to this town outside the Stateran and, well, there was this big old commotion outside, something about a monster attacking. A bunch of us hid in the inn’s cellar, and we were just starting to think it was safe to come out when – nothing.” She frowned. “Still don’t rightly know what happened. After I remembered I tried to find out, but hardly anyone even knows where Phandolin used to be, let alone what happened.”

At that name, Angus felt Lup’s whole body flinch. Barry stretched out a wing, putting it around her without a word, and Angus leaned into her too.

No.3113 didn’t seem to notice. “I mean, it was a _long_ time ago, and it wasn’t a big town. It’s just weird.”

“Yeah, No.3113’s an old lady,” Carey grinned.

“I should have never told you how old I am,” No.3113 chuckled. “’S alright though. I never would’ve met you gals if it hadn’t happened.”

“Yeah, we’re glad we got to meet you,” Killian added, slinging an arm around No.3113’s shoulders, and she laughed and put her arm around Killian’s.

“It’s been pretty cool meeting you all too,” No.3113 added, looking up at the monsters, “but we oughta get going.”

Killian sighed. “I guess you’re right. No offense, but I don’t want to be in here after dark.”

Angus frowned. “Do you have to go _now_?”

“Sorry, kiddo.” Carey stood, stretching. “Some of us don’t get rides from the scariest things in the forest.”

He sighed and Lup handed him over, very gently, as Magnus got up. “Come on, Angus, we’ll walk them back.”

“See?” Carey grinned at Angus and he couldn’t help smiling back.

“Okay, ma’am, I guess you have a point. I’ll walk with you though!”

When they got as far as Magnus would go, No.3113 ruffled Angus’ hair. “See you, sweetheart! You take care now.”

“Yes ma’am!” Angus nodded. Killian held up a hand and Angus high fived her. She shook her hand, wincing, and Angus giggled.

“Bye, Angus. This was fun, we gotta do it again sometime.”

“Hell yeah we do.” Carey, apparently less restrained than her compatriots, scooped Angus up into a hug and whispered in his ear before setting him down. “Bye guys!”

Angus and Magnus waved them off, before Magnus reached down and lifted Angus up again. “So, hey, what’d Carey say to you? I didn’t quite hear it.”

“Oh – she wants to know if you might teach her some woodcarving sometime. And not tell Killian.” Angus snuggled back into Magnus’ chest.

* * *

 “I wish you’d leave me alone,” he remarked to yet another group of would-be rescuers, the second one this week. “I keep asking people but they never _do_.”

“I know you must be scared, but I promise, you’ll be safe if you just come with us, no monsters will hurt you.” He was pretty sure the tiefling was a cleric, but he couldn’t remember what the symbol on her shield stood for. He’d ask Merle later.

“No thank you.” The fog rose around him, beginning to blot out the trees around them.

“The things that live here-”began the warlock, and then stopped, looking around as the fog grew thicker and paler. Angus watched as the group looked behind him, gazes traveling up and up and _up_.

The voice behind him crackled, distorted and hissing. “ _Leave. Now_.” The air temperature dropped around them. The ranger was the first to start backing away, but it only took a moment’s stare to make the whole group turn tail and run.

Barry picked Angus up and Angus patted his hand. “Thank you, sir. That was very scary.”

“Glad you approve.” Barry sounded amused, and Angus smiled up at him. Then Barry’s head snapped up and Angus followed his gaze to see Lup hurtling downward. She landed with a heavy thud, feathers fluffed out and breathing hard.

“You two need to get home _now_.”

Angus sat up. “Is everything okay?”

“Right now!” Lup didn’t wait around for them to respond, just flung herself back into the sky and disappeared. Angus gave Barry a worried look and Barry held him closer as he set off back to camp too, hurrying through the trees.

Camp was eerily still and quiet, but Lup leaned out the door of the dining room and beckoned impatiently before disappearing back inside. Barry followed, pushing the door open onto a dark scene, and Angus automatically reached for his wand to cast Darkvision, but stopped and sniffed the air.

Was that macaroni and cheese…?

“SURPRISE!” The room lit up all at once and Angus squeaked, shielding his eyes for a moment before lowering his hands. The monsters were all gathered around the table, and Barry stepped closer to let Angus see – there was a giant cake in the center of the table, elaborately decorated with bowties and books and hats, and next to it a much smaller one with simpler decoration, carefully-piped stars and looping handwriting that just read “Happy Birthday Angus”.

Angus stared. Barry set him down on the table and Lup grinned, high-fiving him.

“Didn’t suspect a thing, did you little man?”

“I think you scared him,” Barry remarked, putting an arm around her and resting his head against hers.

“A little,” Angus said, slightly dazed. “I didn’t think you even knew-”

Magnus snorted. “You told _Lucretia_. She doesn’t forget a detail.”

Lucretia nodded, smiling. “And once I told Magnus you hadn’t had a party, well. We’ve been planning for weeks. Why do you think Barry took you on a field trip today of all days?”

“I hadn’t…” Angus felt tears prick at his eyes and swiped at them. “Thank you.”

Magnus leaned over and ruffled his hair, narrowly avoiding getting fur in the big cake. “Anytime, kiddo.”

“Yeah, yeah, enough with the mushy stuff, can we eat?” Merle called from the other end of the table.

“Yeah, don’t start crying in my food, if you add salt I’ll kick your ass,” Taako put in.

Everyone insisted on Angus sitting in the middle as the “guest of honor” as they ate, and even as he ate Angus couldn’t help smiling so wide his cheeks started to hurt. Lup recruited Barry to help clear away plates, leaving just the cakes behind, and when they came back Barry gestured with a flourish and conjured eleven candles onto each cake.

Angus looked at Lup as she hefted her staff and he scooted backwards to a ripple of laughter from the monsters. Lup winked at him and treated them all to a fireworks display that lasted until Davenport’s distressed “Lup, we’re _indoors_! Careful!” The flames winked out and abruptly the only ones remaining were the lit candles.

Lucretia nudged Angus towards his cake and motioned to the others. They launched into a cacophonous rendition of Happy Birthday that made more tears well up in Angus’ eyes. He leaned forward, taking a deep breath, and blew as hard as he could.

The candles smoked – then lit again. Angus blinked, blew them out again – and the flames reappeared.

“ _Taako_.” Davenport glared.

“What? It’s traditional.” Taako sighed dramatically. Lup patted his shoulder. “Nobody appreciates the classics anymore.”

“Tragic.”

The third time, Taako left the candles alone, and once Angus had successfully blown out the candles, he looked up at the giant cake with a frown, then looked at the monsters.

“I’m pretty sure I can’t blow those out.” He hesitated for a moment, then, “Can you all do it for me?”

“Dibs on the wish!” Magnus yelled immediately. Angus caught Davenport’s eye and they shared a grin before the monsters leaned in to blow out the candles and Magnus began taking the candles out of the cakes, wincing and complaining noisily about the heat as Lup snickered. The cake was just as good as Angus had expected, chocolate and vanilla with strawberries inside, and he cut a piece big enough that Merle gave him the stinkeye.

When everyone was too full to eat anything else, Magnus herded everybody outside again, and Lup lit up the firepit for them to gather around. Angus, cupped in Taako’s hands, didn’t notice the pile of wrapped presents until he was plopped down in front of it. He stared, then looked up.

“Are these for me?”

“No, actually, they’re for me,” Lucretia told him loftily, and Angus giggled. She smiled at him. “Here, this one’s from me.” She pointed to one present and Angus picked it up and tore the paper open. Inside was a thick blue book, and when he opened the cover, he found it was blank, with a box full of pencils and erasers attached to the inside.

“You like my journal, I thought you might like to have your own.” Lucretia watched him anxiously until Angus looked up and smiled at her.

“I love it, thank you!” He set the journal aside and looked back to the pile. Leaning forward, he nudged a rock out of the way and reached for a random present.

“Hey!” Merle bristled. Angus jumped.

“What? What’d I do?”

“What about my present?”

“…I don’t know which is yours, sir?”

Barry sighed. “It’s the rock, Angus.”

Angus paused, then picked up the rock he’d pushed aside. It was covered in moss. “This one?”

“Yeah!” Merle buffed his nails on his chest. Angus wondered why, given that his nails were exactly as wooden as the rest of him anyway. “It’s, uh, a symbol of nature and life. Yeah. Now, Pan once said-”

“ _Okay_!” Davenport said loudly, “Thank you Merle, that said, let’s move on, we’ve got plenty of presents to go through still.” Angus smothered a laugh and smiled at Merle, who looked sulky. Davenport reached over the firepit and tapped a flat present. “This one’s from me.” Angus nodded and picked it up to pull open the paper, revealing a rectangular frame with a neat, fancy embroidery inside, the words “Home Sweet Home” bordered with very pretty flowers. He looked up and Davenport looked a little anxious, form shifting faster. “I thought you might like some more decoration for your house.”

“It’s beautiful, sir. I didn’t know you embroidered.”

That slowed the changes. “Well, we all need a hobby, right? I’m glad you like it.”

 “You know what we should’ve gotten him? A birthday hat. Why didn’t anyone think of that?” Magnus looked anguished. “I can’t believe we’re having a birthday party and we didn’t give him a hat.”

“It’s okay, sir! I’m just happy to be here, really!” Angus chirped. “Which present is from you?”

“It’s that big one!” Magnus pointed, and Angus dragged the heavy present forward to tear it open, revealing a large wooden box. He pushed open the top to look inside and gasped. Reaching in, he pulled out several intricately-carved wooden animals, and looked back inside to see more – a bear (he should have expected that), a dog, a cat, a few different birds, a lizard, a deer, a mouse, and a snake.

“Sir! These must have taken you ages!” They were just the right size for Angus, but they were so _detailed_ – the fur had texture to it, the eyes were carefully carved, the dog even had little claws on its feet.

“Pretty good though, right? Maybe your favorite present? Maybe your favorite monster?” Magnus waggled his eyebrows and Angus laughed. “Not joking!”

He giggled again. “They’re amazing, thank you so much.” Angus placed the figurines carefully back into the box and set it aside. Something soft dropped over his eyes and he automatically pushed it back up and lifted it off his head. It was a woven ring of flowers he recognized from following Merle around – they grew on certain plants that lived on the trees to get more sunlight. Looking up, Angus could see a few petals drifting from overhead, and he smiled and held it up. “Look, sir, I got a birthday hat after all!”

“I don’t know that that counts as a _birthday hat_ ,” Magnus said thoughtfully. Angus shrugged and put the flower crown on again.

“I don’t think I care, sir. I like it.” Out of the corner of his eye he saw Merle lift his chin and a smug look flash across his face.

“Okay, okay, mine next!” Lup pushed forward the smallest present with her tail and Angus obediently picked it up, opening it to find-

“Goggles, ma’am? I mean I don’t mean I don’t like them, but-”

“Oh, the goggles aren’t the present, little man.” Lup grinned. Angus gave her a quizzical look and she spread her wings. “Better be up early tomorrow, kiddo, I’m taking you flying.”

Angus’ eyes widened. “Really, ma’am?”

“Hell yeah I am, it’s gonna be awesome.”

“Please – just don’t drop him,” Barry muttered and Lup rolled her eyes dramatically at Angus.

“I’ll take my wand, sir,” Angus told him. “But I’m sure Lup won’t lose me.”

“Well, at least _one_ of us is,” Taako stage whispered to Merle, and Lup flicked a rock at him and knocked his hat askew. Angus looked at the two remaining presents, one flat and wide and the other smaller and very rectangular.

“That one’s from me,” Barry pointed to the flat one and Angus nodded. He opened it to an expanse of red cloth, and when he lifted it up he realized it was a jacket his size – the same red as Davenport’s, with a circular patch over the right front pocket – the letters I P R E on a white prism that split into twelve circles of various colors, reminding him of artistic depictions he’d seen of the planes.

“What’s this?” Angus touched the patch curiously before looking up at Barry.

“It was our – mission statement, I guess you could say. Identification, Protection, and Research of Externalities. It _was_ ‘external forces,’ but _someone_ decided he didn’t like the F, and it stuck.”

Magnus pointed. “IPRE is a way better acronym than IPREF and you know it.”

“And you’re…giving me _this_?”

“Well, it used to be our uniform, and I thought maybe you deserved your own?” Barry gave him a nervous look. “Do you not like it? I can come up with something else-”

“No!” Angus clutched the jacket protectively against his chest. “No, I – I like it. A lot.” He slipped the jacket on – it fit perfectly, and he’d bet Taako was responsible for that. Adjusting the lapels he looked down at himself, then over to Davenport, smiling. “Look, sir, I look like you!”

“Do an impression!” Lup called and, giggling, Angus stuck his fingers under his nose to make a mustache, making her laugh immediately.

“I’m Davenport and all my crew is so weird! Angus is my favorite!” Even Davenport laughed at that.

“Okay, I’m all for mocking people, but you’re forgetting someone, bubbeleh.” Taako pointed at the last present. He buffed his nails on his shirt as Angus pulled it into his lap – it was heavier than it looked, and his curiosity made quick work of the paper. Then he froze and stared.

“What is it?” Magnus leaned over, trying to see. Wordlessly, Angus held it up – a cardboard box, covered with scenes of a boy with glasses solving crimes and cracking clues, containing the first six Caleb Cleveland novels.

Angus set down the box set with infinite care. Then he ran straight to Taako and positively tackled him in the tightest hug his little boy arms could give. Taako picked him up, and when Angus peeked he caught a glimpse of Taako giving the others a deeply smug expression, but he didn’t care.

“How did you even get that?” Davenport frowned.

“Paid Killian to pick it up for me last week.”

“It’s perfect, sir,” Angus choked out.

“Alright, let’s not get snot on my shirt here, Agnes.” Despite his words, Angus felt Taako’s hand curl a little tighter around him as Angus lifted his head, sniffling and beaming.

“Would you mind-”Angus hesitated, then mustered his courage, looking around. The worst they could do was say no, right? “I kind of…want to know what it was like when you first came here? Could you tell me some stories about that?”

“Hell _yes_ – guys, remember that time Davenport tried to phase through a wall and got stuck?” Taako grinned and Davenport groaned.

“I wasn’t _phasing_ , I knew I couldn’t do _that_ , but there was a gap-”

“You got stuck, sir?”

“For three hours!” Merle grinned. “And he had a face the whole time, you should’ve seen it-”

“I can’t believe you’re betraying me too, Merle – actually I don’t know why, I should have, but hey, _I_ remember when you fought that treant and thought it was Pan punishing you for hitting on plants-”

“That’s a damn _lie_ -”

Angus giggled and settled comfortably down against Taako. A hundred years had left the monsters with plenty of stories to tell him, and he laughed delightedly at Magnus, Merle, and Taako’s story of their, in their words, “first moment of competence” as monsters, was appropriately impressed at Lup and Lucretia’s story of driving off a full-grown dragon who’d tried to set up shop in the forest, and was fascinated by Barry and Davenport’s explanation of how they’d figured out most of their powers early on.

Angus wandered between the monsters as the night grew darker, content to be picked up and held or to sit on a lap, the group talking cheerfully as the hours went on. Davenport solidified to let Angus curl up next to him as he began to yawn, acting as a pillow. His eyes grew heavy as he snuggled into Davenport’s side, and he kept rubbing them, not wanting to miss any of this, but finally, without even realizing, he fell asleep.

Later, he roused briefly to the sound of voices overhead.

“I just – we need to do something. They just keep coming and they’re not going to stop till we figure something out. Someone’s going to get hurt if we don’t,” Lucretia was saying.

Taako hummed tonelessly. “We could always have Fisher make people forget about him.”

“No!” He could hear Lup’s wings rustling at that. “He’s only eleven, when he’s older he’ll want to go back out into the world – we can’t just erase his whole existence!”

“Oh, have _you_ got a better idea?”

“Settle down,” Davenport’s voice was firm, though quiet, and he rested a hand on Angus’ shoulder. “You’ll wake him up. We’re all worried, but we’re not going to find the solution by fighting each other.”

“We’re on a time crunch here, Dav. The longer we wait, the worse things are going to get. It’s only a matter of time before some idiot in armor gets lucky and catches him.” Merle’s voice was gruff, but Angus could hear his worry.

* * *

 “Are you sure about this, ma’am?”

“You’re not scared of heights, are you, Ango?”

Angus looked down from where Lup held him against her chest, feet dangling. “No, but normally I’m standing on them.”

“Well, _that’s_ no fun.” Without another word, Lup launched herself into the air to a shriek from Angus. Her wings beat furiously as they broke through the canopy and into open air. He hid his face against her arm as the ground fell away beneath them and they rose higher and higher. Finally, Lup nudged him gently. “Hey. Take a look.”

Angus reluctantly lifted his head and opened his eyes. They were higher than the tallest building he’d ever seen anywhere, and the whole Stateran spread out around their feet. Far, far below, he could see the camp, tiny houses and tinier friends moving around them. As he looked around, he could see the occasional rustling of trees, though he couldn’t tell what was moving them from this distance.

“It’s beautiful, ma’am,” he breathed, and Lup patted his head.

“Sure is. But hey – we didn’t come up here to sightsee.” He was about to ask what that meant when Lup tipped backwards and he gave a shout as she turned a somersault in the air that turned into a dive, picking up speed and then swooping upwards like a hawk that caught prey. He could hear her laughing, a sound of pure delight, and as she twisted and spun his yells turned to laughs too. Lup held him tight and he clung to her, cheering as she flew an enormous loop (and he giggled as his mind supplied the word “Lup-the-loop”). He was immediately much more grateful for the goggles – his glasses would have fallen off ages ago.

After a while Lup slowed, righting herself and breathing hard, and a grinning Angus looked up at her. “That was _amazing_!”

“See? Told you.” Lup grinned back at him. “Sometime we should get Taako to give you a set of wings, I’ll teach you how to _really_ fly.” Then she looked up, past him, and frowned. “I hear something.” Angus didn’t hear anything, but then again, the monsters all seemed to have better senses than him. A perk of the magic, he supposed – one they’d definitely earned. Setting down again, she put Angus on the ground. “Stay put, I’ll go check it out. Be right back.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Angus nodded. Lup took off again, the wind from her wings buffeting him a little, and Angus took to wandering around the little clearing he was waiting in, stretching his legs.

After a minute, though, he heard whispering. “Coast is clear! Hurry!”

In a sudden flurry of movement, several adventurers sprang out of hiding. Angus sighed. Another one of _those_ days. He crossed his arms. “Please go away. I really don’t need help and I’m not enchanted and I’m very safe here with my friends.”

“Uh-huh. I’m sure you are. But don’t you want to go home and tell your family that?” One of them smiled sweetly at him and he frowned.

“No. I don’t.”

“…okay, well, let’s just – Ina, can you-”

“Already burned my spell slots,” another one of the adventurers said, shaking their head. “I’m out of restorations.”

“Shit, okay, well…hey, do you like music? Why don’t I just-”

Angus looked around and realized the adventurers had surrounded him. He backed into the middle of the circle, biting his lip. The music washed over him and he felt his eyes start to grow heavy. Forcing the effect off, he shook himself and did the first thing he could think of as they closed in on him: he threw back his head and screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Lup! Help! _Lup_!”

For a second, nothing happened. Then there was a whistling noise from overhead and Lup hit the ground like a meteor. She straightened slowly, and Angus knew something was wrong. Her wings were spread wide, feathers flaring, and sparks rose from her. Her tail lashed, cracking against the trees in its path, and her eyes – her eyes weren’t even visible. Flames streamed from them as she stood, fists clenched, and snarled.

“Get away from him before I _fucking_ kill you.”

Angus could feel the temperature rising and suddenly he remembered – black glass, a whole town gone in an instant, the Light’s temptations – and the bottom fell out of his stomach. “Lup?” The adventurers were already wavering – nobody was ever prepared for his friends – and Angus ran forward to Lup. The air grew hotter with every step, till it might have been a scorching summer day. “Lup – Lup!” She looked down at him and for a second the heat flared, making sweat pour from him, but he grabbed her leg. “I’m okay! I’m not hurt, I’m here, please – please calm down!” He clung to her desperately. “Look, they’re leaving, it’s okay! You did it! Please, ma’am, please – I don’t want to lose you!” Tears spilled down his cheeks.

Lup stared down at him for a long second, and he was terrified she hadn’t even heard him. But then – the heat began to ebb, and she sank to her knees, sparks winking out. The fire in her eyes died, slowly, till he could see her real face again – horror-stricken. “Angus, I-”she choked on the words, reaching for him, then flinching away – and Angus scrambled up into her lap to hug her tight. She reacted instantly, arms and wings wrapping around him till he couldn’t even see daylight. “I – I could’ve-”

“I’m okay, you’re okay, I’m okay.” Angus said it over and over, arms around her neck, till they both stopped shaking.

Magnus found them, and Angus could see the naked relief on his face when he did. Angus wondered about everything he’d seen might happen, and he didn’t envy Magnus’ visions at all.

* * *

 Barry and Taako converged on Lup as soon as they made it back to camp. None of them said anything, and neither did Angus – he had no idea what he should say, and just kept his mouth shut. Lup held him close, and periodically he could feel her hands trembling again. The four of them piled silently into her nest, Barry’s wings stretching to enfold them and Angus curling up under Lup’s chin. He could see her hands, gripping Taako’s and Barry’s so tight he knew it must hurt. Neither of them complained.

For the next four days, Lup was never alone. Taako might as well have been glued to her, and while Barry might leave for a little bit he kept circling back to her with casual touches that Angus could see soothed her. For his part, Angus followed at her heel everywhere she went, remembering the awful sight of her eyes hidden behind fire and continually trying to stay in contact with her, as close as possible. The others stayed close, too, Magnus slinging an arm around her shoulders and joking with her, Lucretia dropping by and claiming it was too quiet in her own house to work – small things, but they added up. The first time Lup laughed at one of Merle’s jokes, Angus could feel the release of tension, and shortly afterward she announced that she was going flying, _no Barry you’ve been all over me I know I’m irresistible but I need my space_.

Angus couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened. He was a smart kid – they were always telling him that. He remembered what Lucretia had said – the Light of Creation tempted them to _use_ their powers, and Lup’s were incredibly dangerous.

And he’d almost made her use them. It wouldn’t have happened if Angus hadn’t needed her to save him – if he wasn’t a target just for living with them. He might have gotten over it, if it hadn’t been for the day Merle came home missing an arm and a round chunk of his shoulder.

Angus was following Lucretia around when she stopped in her tracks and sighed. “Oh, _Merle_.” He’d turned to follow her gaze and dropped his journal, heedless of how the pages bent when it hit the ground.

“ _Sir_!” He barely thought before rushing over to him. “Sir, oh gods, what happened?”

“A really bad conversation,” Merle grumbled, his remaining hand clenched in a fist. “If you touch it I’ll kill you,” he added, making Angus snatch his hand back, staring with wide, teary eyes.

“We keep telling you not to talk to him alone.”

“Hey, how come the pipsqueak is the only one worried about me missing my damn arm?” Merle crossed his remaining arm over his chest, scowling. “Nobody else cries about it anymore!”

“A-Anymore?”

“Yeah! I get my arm or my leg blasted off and nobody even gives a shit!” Merle huffed irritably.

“It’ll grow back, Angus,” Lucretia told him gently. “It’s happened before. It’s not fun for anyone-”

“-fucking _hurts_ ,” Merle grumbled

“-but he’ll be okay. Promise.”

“I-If you say so, ma’am.” Angus looked at Merle anxiously. “You _will_ be okay, right sir?”

“Quit whining, I’ll be fine. Nobody bother me, I’m going to bed.” Merle stumped past Angus, giving him a thump on the shoulder that was just this side of affectionate, and vanished into his house.

That night, Angus tossed and turned for hours. He didn’t like to think about it, but – they weren’t invincible. Merle might grow back limbs but – how far did that go? His heart? His head? What about the others? So many people had been coming to the forest lately. It was too painfully easy to imagine more powerful adventurers coming to find him, people who wouldn’t be frightened away as easily, who’d instead start a fight and-

He didn’t know it when he fell asleep, because he slipped too easily into dreams.

_Magnus a heap of fur on the ground, motionless and alone-_

_Lucretia struggling to maintain a shield that crumbled under a terrible assault-_

_Merle withering away, face twisted in agony-_

_Barry blasted to nothing by radiant magic-_

_Davenport blown away, leaving nothing but his jacket-_

_Taako broken and bloody, reaching for someone who wasn’t there anymore-_

_Lup plummeting from the sky in flames, doomed to rise in the middle of the wreckage-_

* * *

 He didn’t want to worry them. They already worried enough. So Angus kept smiling for them and happily accepted their affection and paced throughout most of the night worrying for them. It was his fault they were in such danger, and they didn’t know how to make it go away. It was his job to fix it. There had to be some way he could stop this.

The only problem was, his mind kept circling back to one solution: _go back_.

He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. He _refused_. He didn’t _want_ to go home. His parents would be angry and his brothers would sniff and stick up their noses at him and he’d have done something shameful. Nothing like that ever happened here.

And if he went…he’d never be able to come back. He couldn’t sneak out twice – even if he did, they’d chase him down and bring him back before he could get halfway there, now that they knew he’d go to the Stateran. No. Not unless he had no other options.

After one particularly rough night, Magnus stopped Angus on the way to breakfast. “Hey, Ango. You okay?”

Angus squeaked. “Yes, sir! I’m fine!” He forced a smile, but Magnus didn’t seem convinced.

“You sure about that?”

“Honest, sir.” It stung to lie to him, but Magnus especially was a worrier. He already had all those visions. Angus wasn’t going to add to that.

“…If you’re sure. But, hey, Angus…if you ever want to talk, you can come to me, okay? You know, if you’re…having bad dreams, or something.”

“…Yes, sir. I’ll remember.”

He didn’t sleep that night, and he didn’t talk to Magnus about it.

* * *

 In the end, the last straw was an impromptu s’mores night. Angus sat cross-legged on a floating disc of force Taako had noisily complained about conjuring for him, a little heap of miniature (or, really, normal-sized, but everything felt small when you lived with giants) graham crackers and chocolate squares at his side. Watching his friends talk and laugh and tease each other, he smiled, and then he thought. They all loved each other so _much_. He couldn’t imagine what they’d do if any one of them got hurt or – or worse.

 _Don’t be selfish, Angus_ , he remembered suddenly. He’d received all sorts of scoldings over his life, and that one chose that moment to resurface. Don’t be selfish – but what was he doing? He was putting these people – people who he loved – in danger by living with them. Just being here could get them _killed_. And he was only staying because he didn’t want to go home. The chocolate suddenly lost all taste in his mouth.

He mumbled an excuse about being tired that he didn’t even really hear, and hid in his little house. For a minute, he looked around at everything – the little carved decorations Magnus had made for him, the embroidery Davenport had given him for his birthday, the box set he’d already read through three times. Clenching his fists, Angus took a deep breath and resolved to do what he should have done months ago.

He couldn’t rush off. He had to plan this carefully. He chose his most comfortable shoes to walk in – it would take time to get out of the forest, and he’d have a long way to go after. He’d already learned everyone’s sleep schedules (Merle the first to fall asleep, Barry the last, without fail), and – he had to say goodbye. They just couldn’t _know_ it was goodbye. They might try to stop him.

So he alternately pestered and flattered Merle until he agreed to let Angus sleep over, and waking up with a moss bed under him that hadn’t been there when he fell asleep solidified Angus’ certainty – he had to do this. Davenport was next, awkwardly but affectionately patting Angus’ head as he fell asleep. Then Magnus, and on top of that Angus shared a nap with him, so Magnus could cuddle him sleepily without worrying about accidentally rolling over on him. He stayed up late with Lucretia talking about books, and complimented Taako’s hoard as he nestled into his treasure chest.

Barry and Lup were last. Angus said his goodnights and snuggled into the pillows, trying to savor these last moments as he listened to them talk quietly and peeked to see them cuddle up together in their nest, Barry turning to rest his forehead against Lup’s as he said something Angus couldn’t quite hear that made her smile warmly.

Once he was sure they’d both fallen asleep, Angus crawled out of bed and got dressed again. He folded his pajamas neatly and placed the note he’d had hidden in his pocket on top of them, weighing it down with his Stone of Farspeech. Shoes in hand, he tiptoed to the door, taking one last look at the two shadowy forms, still fast asleep.

He put his shoes on once he was outside and went first to the brush at the edge of camp. “Hello,” he said softly. “I know I’m not Merle, but I need to ask you for a favor. I need to leave the forest, and – they can’t know I’m going until I’m gone. Can you please just not wake Merle up until morning? I promise this is to help him and everyone. Please.” The plants didn’t respond, but he’d done what he could. That finished, Angus scurried into his house, already tidied up – it would be awfully rude to make them clean up with him gone – and picked up the little bundle he’d made. He’d already decided not to take any of their presents with him – he was leaving, and it didn’t feel right, and – what if he got home and they took away the bag, or the jacket, or anything his friends had worked hard to give him? What if they broke something? He didn’t know how to fix it, and his parents wouldn’t pay to get it fixed, and he couldn’t risk it. Instead, he just took a change of clothes and his wand. It was all he needed, really. They’d taught him enough magic to stay hidden from the bad things that wandered the forest. No chimeras this time.

Angus climbed back down to the ground, hesitating one more time as he looked around at the silent, still camp. Then he squared his shoulders and forced himself to turn around and start walking.

As he left the wards, he hid himself with an illusion. His footsteps were quieter than he thought they should be – maybe the plants had listened to him after all. He found his way to the path, and after following it for a little while, he spotted a small campfire up ahead. Hiding in the brush, he crept closer until he could see the small party gathered around it, shooting anxious looks at the forest around them. He watched for a little while, spying, and finally decided they seemed okay. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and marched into the firelight.

“Hello. I’m Angus McDonald, and I need you to take me home now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you.
> 
> other notes:  
> -I feel I should note that the adventurers aren't necessarily bad people. Jerks, maybe, but if you were playing D&D and got sent on a rescue quest, and this kidnapped kid said "no I want to stay in Horror Woods" would you buy it and turn around?  
> -Barry has never forgotten the first time he picked Angus up and nearly dropped him. No flying with his boy for Barry.  
> -Magnus' "powder my ass" line may be my favorite thing I've ever written.  
> -Cameo appearance by my own D&D party. I love my tiefling cleric. Not pictured: her paladin bestie.


	6. Forest Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lup stirred, yawning as she uncurled herself from around Barry. She kissed his head sleepily and climbed out of bed, shaking out her wings and letting her feathers settle. Slouching across the house to start on coffee, she glanced down at Angus’ little nest with a faint smile. Then she stopped, and looked again at the little note lying next to the pillows. Chuckling and shaking her head, she leaned down to pick it up – he _would_ leave a note just in case they woke up to tell them he’d gone to the bathroom.

She read the note and went dead still.

Then she spun around and lunged back across the room. “ _Barry_!” She shook him frantically. “Barry, fucking _wake up_ , right now, Angus is _gone_ -”

“Hn- what?” Barry sat up, scrubbing at his eyes with one hand. “What do you mean, gone?” Lup shoved the note into his hand and Barry looked down to read it. Then he scrambled to his feet. “Fuck – fuck, we have to – get Merle, get Merle, he can ask-”

Lup was already bolting out the door and shouting at the top of her lungs. “Wake up! Everyone wake up, Angus is gone, _get up_ -”

Taako was outside before Lup had finished saying “everyone,” wand in hand, and his fierce expression turned to horror as he realized what she was saying. “He’s _what_?” Lup didn’t answer, already slamming Merle’s door open and shouting at him. Davenport poured out of his door, barely humanoid, and Lucretia had grabbed her staff on the way out of the house. Magnus was nowhere to be seen.

Lup nearly dragged Merle outside and he pulled away and hurried straight to the treeline, dropping to his knees in the bushes and beginning to talk quietly to them. Then she yanked Magnus’ door open and vanished through it.

“Barry, what the _hell_ is going on? What happened?” Lucretia gave him an anxious look. Barry silently handed her the note and she looked down and read aloud. “Dear everyone, I’m sorry to do this, but I can’t stay here anymore. I’m so sorry I put you all in danger so I have to go home. My parents won’t stop looking for me until they get me back so I can’t stay. I wish I could because I love you all but I don’t want you to get hurt for me. Thank you so much for everything. You’ve been so nice to me and I’m going to miss you all so much and I love you so much. Maybe one day I can come back and see you again. I hope so. Please don’t worry about me.” Her voice cracked as she continued. “I’ll be okay. I promise. Goodbye. Love, Angus.” She looked up, eyes brimming with tears.

“Fuck. Fuck!” Taako’s tail lashed violently. He spun around and started to pace. Lup emerged from Magnus’ house alone.

“Magnus is still out of it. Visions.” Her tail twitched, fists clenched tight.

“Shit,” Davenport muttered. “Merle! Anything?”

“He’s gone.” Merle returned to the group. “He asked them not to wake me up and they- they helped him hide until he found some adventurers and got out of the forest. He was safe when he left, that’s all they know. Too smart for his own good, that kid.”

“We have to go after him!” Lup nearly shouted. “He can’t go back – he ran away for a reason! Every fucking time we talk about some normal-ass kid thing he’s never done it, like all he did at home was sit alone in some corner in his own house! We have to get him back!”

“We can’t leave the Stateran, Lup – this isn’t right but we just _can’t_ , it’s not safe,” Davenport couldn’t hold a shape for more than a few seconds at a time. Every new form he took had claws, fangs, sharp pincers – something dangerous.

“It’s not safe for him to be back there! Remember how he was when he first got here? You want him to go back to living like that? With his own parents?” Lucretia snapped.

“Of course I don’t! I want him back as much as any of you, but we have to worry about the Light of Creation too – if someone finds it and takes it, it’s not going to matter if we got Angus back, he’ll be in just as much danger,” Davenport shot back. “We have to be smart about this.”

“Smart isn’t doing Angus any good now, is it?”

“Lup – honey, you’re sparking.” Barry touched her hand gently. Lup made an inarticulate angry noise and her wings snapped open to take to the air again. Merle relaxed a little as she pulled away from the trees and Barry followed her, the two of them circling just above the treeline.

A hush fell over the group, one that lasted several minutes until Taako turned and stalked into Magnus’ house again. He returned with Magnus’ arm slung over his shoulder, staggering under a dazed bear’s weight. Lucretia darted over and got under Magnus’ other arm to support him over to the others and help him sit down.

“You with us yet, Magnus?”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.” Lucretia patted his shoulder.

“No, but – _seriously_. You know already?”

“We know,” Davenport sighed. “Anything you can share?”

“It’s bad.” Magnus clenched his fists. “Really bad. I’m trying to work through it all, but – our odds aren’t good.”

“We’re not exactly subtle people,” Davenport muttered. “There must be something we can do…” Taako’s head snapped up. Then he dug in his pocket and produced his Stone of Farspeech.

Lup came back down to land by him. “Taako, it’s – he left his stone too, I don’t think he took anything-”

“Shut up, everyone shut the fuck up,” he snapped, fumbling with the stone until a groggy voice came through.

“Hello? Who’s calling, it’s _early_ -”

“Killian! It’s Taako.”

“Wh- Taako? What’s going on?”

“It’s Angus. He’s gone.”

“He’s what?” Killian sounded a whole lot more awake now. “Carey – Carey, wake up.”

“What is it?” Carey yawned into the stone.

“Angus ran away to make his parents stop sending people after us. You need to get him back here, right the fuck now.”

“He _what_?” Now Carey was awake too. “Holy shit, you guys.”

“Well, we’ll do what we can, obviously, but it’s not going to be that easy-”Killian began, but Taako cut her off, slashing a hand through the air.

“ _No_. Get this: either you get him back, or _I fucking will_.”

“Listen,” Killian cut in before Carey could speak. “We’ll go find him and try to figure out how to get him out of there, but – look, it’s going to be hard. We can’t just grab him and run, or they’ll just start this whole thing over again.”

“Thank you.” Barry beat Taako to the reply, leaning over to speak into the stone. “We just need to get him back safe.”

“We know.” Killian’s voice softened. “We’ll do everything we can.”

“I’ll go get No.3113,” Carey said. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.” The stone went dark again and the monsters traded looks.

Davenport was the one who said it, but they were all thinking it. “I hope to god she’s right.”


	7. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angus can't drag his feet forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys! My laptop had some severe technical difficulties so she's been in the shop for a week. But now everything's good!
> 
> That said.
> 
> Enjoy. c:

The adventurers introduced themselves to Angus and he immediately forgot their names. He knew it was extremely rude of him but he just couldn’t care about that. He only needed to urge them to hurry out of the Stateran once – they didn’t like being there any more than most people did, and Angus’ anxiety to be gone gave them all the excuse they needed to pack up straightaway and rush him out, casting nervous looks back at the treeline as they left the forest behind, like they were afraid it would extend to pull them back in.

Angus didn’t look back, because if he did he thought he might turn around and run until he reached camp again.

They were nice enough people. The paladin patted his shoulder and promised everything would be okay now and that they’d keep him safe on the way back. Angus mumbled a meaningless thank you and went back to staring into the campfire. It was too small and not hot enough.

* * *

 Angus snuggled down into the heap of pillows, a stack of books at his side. He liked hanging out in his little nest, it was cozy and nice and kind of like making a pillow fort, or at least what he imagined making a pillow fort was like. He’d never been able to make one, after all.

Then Angus sat bolt upright, eyes wide as the book fell out of his hands.

_Nobody could stop him here._

He scrambled out of the nest in a hurry, pushing the books out of his way and then diving back in to haul out pillows from the nest. At the bottom were a few sturdier cushions he pressed into service as walls, heaping the softer ones up to help hold them upright. Inside he stashed his books and, after a moment’s thought, snacks he dug out of the stash Lup let him keep in the house. Hanging up blankets too, he stepped back for a moment to admire his handiwork, then got on his hands and knees and crawled inside. He settled down on a pillow and grabbed a handful of crackers and the book he’d interrupted.

After a little while, he heard the door open and two sets of footsteps enter – Lup and Taako.

“Hey Jango, what’s – oh my god.”

Lup, softly: “Holy shit that’s the cutest thing ever.” Angus giggled to himself. The twins conferred in voices too quiet for him to hear, and after a while he heard them start up their conversation again like it had never been interrupted, kitchen noises a casual undercurrent to their voices. Soon he began to smell something very tasty, drawing him away from his book. He peeked through the blanket-covered end of the fort to see – they were baking! He watched until Taako turned around and then immediately dropped the blanket back into place and ducked down again.

Not long after that, he heard the twins come strolling back over to the fort and, from the shadows outside, he could see them both sit down in front of it. Lup leaned over, her arm moved, and then she sat back. After a moment, Angus twitched the blanket back just enough to see a cookie lying on a trailing part of the blanket, and he reached out just far enough to snatch it up and bring it into the fort. Taako snickered and Angus made a face, though he knew Taako couldn’t see. The cookie was delicious, so he decided he didn’t care if they laughed.

The twins alternated putting out cookies, and Angus’ little stash began to grow. When Barry came into the room, Lup stage whispered “Watch this,” and put another down. Angus rolled his eyes, smiling, and obligingly took it, hearing Barry’s surprised little chuckle. He started on a second cookie, curled up and content as he chewed.

A hand nudged aside his blanket curtain and reached inside, feeling around and then closing around a cookie, and Angus made an indignant noise and pounced on it. Those were his cookies now! If Taako wanted one back he shouldn’t have given it in the first place. Taako pulled back his hand and Angus heard Lup erupt into giggles. He wished he could see Taako’s face.

When the twins got bored, they wandered off again. Barry hung out outside the fort for a little longer, then went off himself and Angus was left alone with his snacks and books. He was starting to get bored, too, but it was nice in the fort. Quiet, and also private.

After a while, as he shifted around trying to find a nice cool spot on his pillows, there was a knock from outside the front blanket. It took a second, but he identified the sound as a Minor Illusion. Angus rolled over to look and glimpsed white through a crack in the pillows – Davenport.

“Angus? It’s dinnertime. I hope you haven’t filled up on cookies.”

Angus considered just staying in the fort.

“Taako made enchiladas,” Davenport added, with the air of someone offering a great bargain.

Angus thought about that, then pushed the blanket aside. Davenport smiled at him.

* * *

In one town, the paladin went on a supply run and came back with a potion of Greater Restoration that he gave to Angus. Angus drank it obediently and felt a rush of warmth sweep through him, one that reminded him of napping in the sun with Magnus and even made him crack a tiny smile. It passed all too quickly, though, and he went back to quietly following at the heel of whoever was keeping watch over him.

Nothing seemed to have changed from when Angus had been traveling to the forest. Everything looked just the same – he even recognized the bench he’d slept on and had his bag stolen from, with all his spare clothes and money and food inside. The thought reminded him of the bag Barry had given him, offering an incredibly kind gift before Angus had even really trusted the monsters, and he felt tears prick at his eyes again. Too late to go back now, even if he could. He just hoped they’d understand he’d left because he loved them, not because he didn’t.

* * *

Angus clutched his book to his chest with a beaming smile, hugging it tight. He trotted down the stairs and made his way to the library. As he padded down the shelves, he heard a quiet rustling and poked his head around a corner to see Thomas sitting at the table, taking notes from a file in front of him. Angus brightened and hurried over.

“Hello, Thomas!” he chirped.

Thomas looked up and glanced over. “…Hello, Angus,” he sighed, turning back to his work.

“I hope you’re having a good day! I am, I just finished this new book!” Angus’ smile widened. “It’s a mystery and I really like it! I solved the mystery before the book was even over-”

“ _Angus_ ,” Thomas snapped. “I’m _busy_.”

Angus’ smile disappeared. “Oh – of course, I’m sorry-”

“I don’t know why you always do this, you _know_ we have work to do.”

“I’m sorry, I got excited,” Angus mumbled.

“You should know better. Mother and Father always say-”

Angus’ shoulders drooped. “Children should be seen and not heard,” he recited.

“Exactly. Go play somewhere else.”

Angus looked down at the floor. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry.” Thomas made a dismissive gesture and Angus scurried away guiltily, mentally scolding himself. Thomas was right, he should know better than to bother his brothers. He’d just go back to his room and read another book until dinner.

* * *

He lay curled up in an inn bed, staring out the window. He wondered how they were doing. They’d be sad, he supposed, but they still had important work to do. He suddenly wished he’d told them he was proud of them, protecting the whole world from what the Light could do to it, and they probably _knew_ it but he should have told them that even if he could have he would never ever tell anyone about the Light.

They’d arrive at the house tomorrow. Angus could just imagine seeing his parents again. He already knew they would have plenty to say about him running away and making them send people to come get him and it was going to be awful. He could feel his stomach churning with anxiety at the thought and curled up a little tighter.

He squeezed his eyes shut and tears began to leak out. Everything sounded so _wrong_. There were noises of people outside and they kept startling him before he remembered this was where people were _supposed_ to be, and the adventurers’ breathing didn’t sound anything like the huge slow breaths of the monsters, and all he wanted was to climb into Magnus’ hands and be held, or to sit on Lucretia’s shoulder and lean against her, or to snuggle up against Lup in her nest and be warm and safe.

* * *

“Angus.”

He jumped to his feet as his mother swept through the door, standing up straight. “Yes ma’am?”

“You’ve been bothering the tutors with your tangents again, haven’t you?”

Angus winced. “…yes, ma’am.”

“We’ve discussed this, Angus.”

 _Lectured this, more like_ , some part of Angus whispered, but he ignored it. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“You’re an intelligent boy, so _why_ you insist on wasting everyone’s time on pointless inquiries is beyond me.”

“I just…want to know why people would do what they do, ma’am.” Angus bit his lip. “Caleb Cleveland always spends lots of time figuring out motives-”Her incredulous look stopped him cold and he shrank under it.

“Those _books_. We never should have let you buy them.” She shook her head with a sigh. “Stop pestering your tutors. We pay them for you to learn, not to irritate them throughout all your lessons.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry, ma’am.” He looked at the floor, wishing she’d just stop and let him be.

“Don’t hang your head. Act like a McDonald, and not some servant boy, and this wouldn’t be necessary.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Again and again you’ve said that, and again and again we’ve had this conversation. Enough is enough, Angus. If this happens again, we _will_ take away those books of yours. They seem to be a bad influence on you.”

Angus’ head snapped up, eyes wide. “Y-yes ma’am! It won’t, I promise!”

She nodded coolly. “See that it doesn’t. Finish your work.” She turned and left him to scramble back into the chair and bend his head over his homework.

Later, he hid his Caleb Clevelands. Just in case she changed her mind.

* * *

The McDonald manor stood tall and stately on a hill in Neverwinter. Angus couldn’t take his eyes off it as they approached, not even hearing the adventurers talking amongst themselves behind him. The paladin stepped up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Good to be home, right?” He smiled.

“Yes, sir,” Angus answered meaninglessly. For a brief moment he thought about breaking away and running again, but then he thought of his friends fending off wave after wave of relentless adventurers, and he just steeled himself.

At the gate, Angus was finally shaken out of his daze by the sight of the guard on duty. “Avi? Is that you, sir?”

Avi grinned. “Angus! We were worried.”

“I didn’t know you worked the day shift, sir?” Angus frowned.

“Oh, yeah, well.” Avi looked sheepish. “Your parents, uh, they weren’t so thrilled with everyone on duty for letting you sneak off, so. I got reassigned.”

“Oh. Well.” Angus managed a weak smile. “It’s nice to see you again.” Avi had always been nice to him on the occasions when Angus couldn’t sleep and wandered around the house, and he’d never told on Angus for doing it. Once, Angus had found Avi and Johann when he’d snuck away from a fancy party his parents had hired Johann to play at. They’d both been hiding in the kitchen with a flask. He’d promised not to tell on them, and they’d let him hide out with them until they heard people looking for Angus and Johann and had to go.

Angus had gotten people fired. He hadn’t thought of that when he’d decided to run away.

“…Yeah, same to you. Let me go tell them you’re back.” Avi turned and hurried back through the gate. Angus sighed quietly. At least Avi was still here, and Johann probably was around too. That was _something_ , at least.

After a minute Avi came back out and waved them all inside. He took the adventurers to the parlor, but when Angus went to follow, he put out a hand to stop him. “Your parents wanna talk to you, they said to take you to the study. They’ll be there in a minute.”

“Oh.” Angus nodded, and Avi gave him a sympathetic look.

“Hang in there.” He patted Angus’ shoulder and led him to the study. Angus waited there alone for a few minutes before his parents and brothers finally arrived.

Angus stood ramrod-straight, hands locked behind him, feeling his parents’ steely gazes pinning him like the butterflies Julius had used to catch and put on cards – and he remembered how that had always seemed so mean, when you could just admire them flying around. Thomas and Julius themselves stood at their sides, watching him with stares that were almost – but not quite – as severe as their parents.

“I expect you have something to say for yourself.” Angus flinched at his father’s cold voice.

“Yes, sir.” He swallowed hard, badly wanting to fidget and not daring to. “I’m sorry, sir.”

“Is that _all_?” His mother lifted her chin coolly. “I should _hope_ you’re sorry. Do you have any _idea_ how you’ve embarrassed us? Running away? I suppose you wanted to act like those silly books of yours. First _detecting_ and now _this_.”

Angus shrank under their words, throat dry.

“I see you couldn’t even be bothered to look after the things you took when you ran off to live like some street urchin,” his mother continued disdainfully. “You’re a mess.”

“Is that any image for a McDonald to project?” his father added. “Disgraceful.”

Angus bit his lip, swallowing the scream in his throat.

“Well, I certainly hope you’ve learned your lesson. You’re lucky those monsters didn’t eat you when they dragged you off-”

Something small and hot and growing in Angus’ chest flared white-hot. “No, I’m not.”

“I _beg_ your pardon? Don’t interrupt-”

“I said,” Angus looked up and glared. “no, I’m not!” His fists clenched tight. “I’d rather be back there with them than be here with _you_!”

His father drew himself up angrily. “Do _not_ take that tone with your parents-”

“Why not? You take it with me!” He was shaking now as Thomas and Julius exchanged raised eyebrows. “I don’t see why I should be nice to you when you’re never nice to me! You don’t care about me, you just act like I’m a tool – no, an _accessory_! You only care how I make you look!”

“Oh, I _see_ ,” his mother rolled her eyes. “More _attention-seeking_. I should have known.”

“It’s not fair!” Angus stomped his foot, voice rising. He couldn’t have stopped himself if he wanted to. The dam had broken. “The monsters are nicer than you’ve ever been! You just tell me to stop bothering you and leave you alone and stop talking about the things I like because _you_ don’t care about them and it’s not _right_!”

His father raised his eyes to the ceiling. “I see this discussion is going to go nowhere. Perhaps once you’ve gotten this little tantrum over with you’ll be able to act sensibly for once.” Angus made an inarticulate noise of rage. His father turned and strode to the door, opening it to Avi on the other side. “Take Angus back to his room and keep him there until he’s ready to behave himself.”

Avi looked over at Angus and nodded. “Yessir.” He came over to Angus, reaching for his arm, but Angus yanked away.

“No! You _never_ listen to me, so you’d better listen _now_!” His father didn’t even look at him, just shot Avi a stern look and Avi winced, then leaned over and picked Angus up.

“C’mon, buddy, let’s go,” he whispered and Angus wriggled angrily.

“Put me down! Let go, I have to-”Avi carried him out of the room and the door swung shut behind them. Angus kicked and screamed the whole way up the stairs until Avi opened his bedroom door and set him down carefully. Angus shoved away from Avi and ran inside, slamming the door as hard as he could. The room looked exactly the same as when he’d left and he spun around and seized the nearest drawer, yanking it out of the dresser and flinging it on the floor with a crash. The rest of the drawers followed suit, Angus kicking them over and spilling clothes everywhere. He flung the pillows off the bed into the wall, knocking over a vase that was only saved from shattering by the cushion of clothes strewn across the floor. Even his Caleb Cleveland books didn’t escape – Angus, half-blind with tears, mind full of Candlenights presents and helpless rage, hurled every one of them into the wall.

Finally, exhausted, Angus crumpled to the floor and just cried. He clutched a pillow and sobbed and sobbed till it felt like his chest would break open. He wanted Magnus to come and smash everything to bits. He wanted Merle to tell the ornamental garden to tear the house apart. He wanted Lup to burn this whole place to the ground.

He wanted them _back_.

He might have just cried himself to sleep there among the mess he’d made, if a noisy thump and a yelp of pain hadn’t startled him out of it. Looking up, Angus realized the door was ajar, and Avi was leaning through the crack, rubbing his head and glowering at Johann behind him. He looked back and met Angus’ stare, wincing again.

“Uh…hey, Angus, just…wanted to…check on you…okay listen I’m sorry about spying and also really sorry about having to drag you up here and kind of everything-”

Angus burst back into tears and ran across the room, latching onto Avi as sobs wracked his frame again.

“Oh – oh shit, okay, uh – there, there?” Avi patted his back and Angus heard him hiss “ _do something_ ” at Johann.

“Here.” Johann held out a handkerchief to Angus. “It’s my good crying hanky.”

“ _Johann_ ,” Avi hissed, but Angus hiccupped a laugh.

“I-It’s okay, sir.” He wiped his face and blew his nose. Avi glanced down the hall both ways, then gently pushed Angus back into the room. Johann followed and shut the door behind them, and all three of them just sat on the floor. Angus pulled his knees up to his chest, sitting between them, and Avi put a hand on his shoulder. Angus swiped at his eyes again.

“I just – I don’t want to _be_ here anymore,” he managed.

“Oh, mood,” Johann remarked, and at Avi’s glare Angus cracked another smile.

“Listen, little dude, we kind of do relate though. Your folks are kind of…”Avi trailed off, looking at the ceiling as he tried to find words.

“We hate them.”

“JOHANN.”

Angus giggled again. “It’s okay, sir. I hate them too.” Then he froze, eyes going wide and round.

“Angus?”

“You good?”

“I hate them?” Angus’ voice was small. “I hate them. Holy shit, I _hate_ them!”

“That’s the spirit.” Johann patted his head. Avi cast an anxious glance over his shoulder at the door.

“No one’s listening,” Angus said absently – people noises were so obvious – as he stared at the wall, mind racing.

They were his _family_ , he _had_ to love them, but – why? Why _should_ he? He’d always thought – they’d always made it very clear that he wasn’t the son they wanted him to be, not like his brothers were, and they wanted to teach him to _be_ that son they wanted. Didn’t that mean they loved him? How could he not love them back?

Then he thought of Magnus, gently picking him up and carrying him home, arguing with everyone about letting him stay, when he was lucky to get his mother to so much as pat his shoulder. Lucretia, asking him about his books and listening, when Thomas couldn’t be bothered to even ignore him. Taako and Lup, soothing him when he’d made a mess and panicked, while his father scolded him for so much as putting a book down and walking away from it. Barry indulging his questions, Merle’s grumpy complaints that never seemed to have any real edge to them.

Davenport, telling him he was smart without any qualifiers.

He thought about Lucretia, telling him that they all loved him and that nothing would change that.

He tried to remember the last time his parents had said that. He couldn’t remember if his brothers ever had.

What kind of family was that?

“I have to go home,” Angus said softly.

“What?” Avi and Johann both blinked at him, confused.

Angus wiggled out from between them, standing up. “Thank you so much, sirs, I really appreciate you coming to talk to me.” Even if they hadn’t really meant to do it. “But I think I need to be alone now.”

“…Uh, alright, if you say so, Angus. Do you, uh, need anything?”

He needed more than he could explain to them, but Angus just said “Water, please? Or juice.” His head was already starting to ache. He’d cried a _lot_.

“Yeah, sure.” Avi got up, hesitated, then patted Angus’ head. “You, uh, take care, okay kid? I know it’s, uh, it’s hard, but we were all really glad to see you’re safe.”

“Stay strong,” Johann added. “You can keep the hanky.”

“Thank you, sirs, that’s very kind of you.” Angus smiled up at them.

Once they were gone, Angus shut the door again and turned back to the room. He had to find a solution.

Angus paced around the room, not even really noticing the mess around him, except to think how Taako would probably be proud of him. A maid came up with a tray and he took it with an automatic ‘thank you’. She’d brought a pitcher of juice and a glass for him, and he carried the glass around as he returned to pacing. He mumbled to himself as he wandered around the room, wrestling with the problem. There had to be something. There _had_ to be. Eventually, though, exhausted, he curled up on the floor in a pile of blankets (not nearly as good as his pillow nest), and fell asleep.

When he woke again, for a moment he couldn’t remember what had happened, and he looked around at the room in confusion – this wasn’t his house. Then it flooded back, and a thought struck him, one he knew wasn’t true, but _what if it was_ – what if he’d dreamed it all? What if there was no camp of monsters in the Stateran who loved him, what if this, right here, was all he had-

Angus plunged a hand into his pocket, feeling desperately around until his hand closed around the star charm tucked inside. He squeezed so hard the points dug into his palm – _real, it was real, they’re real you didn’t just dream them they’re real and they love you and you have to get back to them_.

Okay. He could do this. He _could_. All he had to do was think of some way to escape without them wanting him back. He couldn’t burn his bridges – they’d hold on tighter, like they had last night when he’d finally lashed out. As tempting as it was to try to disgrace the family name until they gave up, as long as they had control of him they’d just try harder to make him behave.

Angus finished the juice pitcher sometime that afternoon, kicking a clear path in the debris so he could pace more easily as he thought and thought and thought. As the sun began to set with no inspiration striking, Angus groaned aloud. There was _something_ he could do, there was always a solution, he just couldn’t quite see it.

Something knocked on the window. Angus jumped and spun around.

For a second he didn’t see anything. Then a blue, scaly hand poked up and knocked again. Angus ran to the window and opened it. Carey pulled herself up so her head stuck up over the windowsill and grinned toothily at him. “Hey Angus!”

“Miss Carey? What are you doing here?”

“Rescue mission!” She hoisted herself up further to prop her elbows on the windowsill. “You know the gang back home is losing their shit right now, right? Like, Taako threatened to come down himself to get you back.”

Angus’ eyes widened. “He can’t! People will see him!”

“I dunno that he cares, kiddo. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

“No – I can’t,” Angus protested. “I _want_ to,” he added quickly as she opened her mouth to argue, “I really do! I’m…just trying to figure out how to do it.”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ve carried heavier things than you down walls. Just climb onto my back-”

“No, ma’am, you don’t understand – if I leave they’ll just keep trying to get me back, I _can’t_ go until I figure something out.”

Carey frowned. “Listen, Angus, I get it, but they’re grownups, they can take care of themselves, and we don’t want you here either. No.3113 figured out why your name sounded so familiar, you know that? Your parents are named William and Victoria, right?”

“…yes, ma’am. How did you know?”

“Back when she still thought she was just a robot, No.3113 said she found some paperwork, about funding.” She leaned forward. “Turns out? Your folks have been funding Miller Labs for _years_. Ghost-bots and mind-control experiments and all.”

Angus’ eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yeah. I don’t know how they ended up making you in a house of people like that, but you shouldn’t be stuck here, I don’t trust those guys.” Carey shook her head. “Come on, seriously, let’s go.”

“I…”Angus frowned. Then he jumped up, gasping. “Wait! I _know_!”

“You know? Know what?”

A grin spread across Angus’ face. “I know what I have to do.” Then it faded. “But it might be the worst thing I’ve ever done.”

* * *

Angus opened the door at last, having finally finished cleaning up the mess he’d made. Avi was standing outside, and turned at the noise.

“Oh! Hey, Angus. Are you hungry? I can probably talk one of the maids into bringing something up for you.”

Angus looked at him. “No thank you, Avi. I’m going to join my family for dinner.” He brushed past Avi as if he hadn’t seen the shock and confusion on his face, and made his way down the stairs.

His parents and brothers were already at the table. Angus’ arrival, back held straight, dressed in starched-stiff clothes, immediately drew their attention. He hesitated a second, then lowered his head.

“I’m very sorry for my behavior. You’re right. It’s childish and unbecoming of a McDonald. I’m sorry for embarrassing you all. I know I need to learn to be a proper son.”

Thomas and Julius blinked at each other. His parents exchanged looks. Then his father lifted a hand and twitched a finger. Angus reacted instantly, trotting to an empty chair. His mother fixed a nearby servant with a sharp look and she quickly filled another plate, setting it down in front of him. Angus kept his mouth shut, waited until his parents started eating, then finally started on his dinner. He slipped a hand discreetly into his pocket and squeezed the star charm, cut carefully off his other clothes so he could keep it close even in his clothes from here.

He knew what he had to do. The only question was if he had it in him to do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are we having fun yet?
> 
> miscellaneous notes:  
> -I felt bad about my buddy's paladin not having any actual role in the party cameo so. This is Keth and I love him. He's a good dude.  
> -Thomas is older but he and Julius are only like two years apart, as opposed to the ten between Julius and Angus.  
> -Angus is the only McDonald who uses "sir" and "ma'am" when speaking to servants or guards. Usually, anyway.


	8. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angus' plan is set in motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take it just take it. It fought me _so hard_ but I won in the end!

Within the next week, Angus’ clothes from home disappeared from his room. He kept his mouth shut about it and rubbed the star charm till it practically shone. Only when no one was looking, though – his father didn’t approve of him keeping his hands in his pockets.

Avi kept shooting him worried looks whenever Angus brushed past him or barely acknowledged him. It took everything Angus had not to react to the looks, and he almost cracked. Then he remembered how Taako could act like he didn’t care about him even while holding him after a nightmare. _Just don’t want you waking me up again, little man_ , expressing perfect disinterest even while he held a shaking Angus to his chest and hummed softly, soothingly. If Taako could do that, Angus could pretend while not looking at people. Maybe it worked too well. Once, passing a room, he heard a whispered conversation inside, and after a quick peek around to see that the coast was clear, he pressed his ear to the door.

“-o weird, like overnight-”Avi sounded distinctly anxious.

“10 copper says they hired a wizard to brainwash him.” Johann, on the other hand, sounded exactly as dead inside as usual.

“Oh, god. We shittalked his parents in front of him. We’re gonna get _fired_.”

“Probably.”

Angus winced, but made himself sneak away before they noticed him. He trusted them, but – nobody could know. It wasn’t worth the risk someone might let something slip. He only had one chance at this.

* * *

Angus sat quietly and listened to his tutor drone on and on. He paid just enough attention to keep himself sitting up properly and writing down notes, the rest of his mind on Barry’s lessons. He’d been much better at explaining the discovery of the Tomb of Acererak – _and_ he’d been much more interesting about it, too.

Though, Angus supposed, it wasn’t really Mr. Greenbaum’s fault he was boring. He couldn’t help not being a big friendly skeleton. At least Angus had already gone through all the questions he would’ve wanted to ask. He’d had a lot he wanted to know when Barry had taught him about the adventurers who’d ventured into the tomb.

Oh, and _Barry_ had at least had correct information. Mx. Tarace had been a gnome, not a halfling, they’d gotten their nickname from living with halflings for years. And Harmony had been a wizard, not a warlock, anyone who knew anything about wizards _or_ warlocks should have known that. But Angus bit his tongue and wrote down the wrong information and nodded along. He swung his feet for a minute before catching himself and stopping, sparing another longing thought for home. Barry never minded if he fidgeted, as long as he was paying attention, but his tutors always had scolded him for it, telling him it was disrespectful. It had never quite made sense to him but he’d tried his hardest.

“Are you paying attention, Angus?” Mr. Greenbaum gave him a sharp frown.

“Yes, sir.” Angus sat up even straighter. “You were just talking about phylacteries.” Also incorrectly. He stifled a yawn and went back to work.

* * *

Angus’ brothers had been watching him. He knew perfectly well they were there as he sat at his desk, staring intently at notes. They weren’t nearly as subtle as Taako could be – and shame on them, no one should be more obvious than a giant monster who used magic like it was going out of style. Still, Angus pretended not to notice them sneaking glances into his room – he’d left the door open a crack for a reason, after all. Not enough to make it obvious that he wanted to be seen – just enough for someone nosy to catch glimpses of him studying. Another thing he’d learned from Taako, though in Taako’s case Angus suspected it was for when he wanted attention and affection and just didn’t want to ask for them. Julius was worse at being hidden, though Angus thought that might just be a function of statistics. He snuck past much more often.

Appearances were important. Looking at him, anyone could be forgiven for thinking he was attending to his studies just like any good child would. They wouldn’t guess that the paper Angus kept writing notes on was magicked. At his command the real writing would appear, notes on guard rotations and his parents’ routines and even one or two combinations for locks he’d found out over the years. Anything that might help him pull this off.

Angus kept his head down as days passed, counting – and hating – every second. He wanted to walk out and go home. Fuck this place. If he was going to do this, though, he was going to do it _right_. When he left he was never coming back to this life; he was going to make sure of that even if it meant he had to stay a whole month before he finally went home.

Twelve days and eighteen hours into his return, his father called him into the study. He went promptly, knocking on the open door and waiting for his father’s “come in” before he stepped inside. Another thing he missed – at home an open door was its own invitation. Come in or don’t, but everyone was welcome either way.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Angus locked his hands behind his back.

“I’m told you’ve shown a great improvement in your attitude since returning home – barring, of course, your little tantrum.”

“Thank you, sir. I _am_ very sorry about that.” Angus looked at the floor, shamefaced. _I’m sorry I didn’t do it years ago, and also that it makes what I’m doing now harder. You should’ve listened though._ His father hummed tonelessly, looking down at him. Angus carefully fixed his gaze on a point just over his shoulder and stood up straight. No eye contact. Just like with wolves.

“That said, you know very well what is expected of you in the future.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Your brothers were younger than you when they first began learning how they would follow in my footsteps. It’s past time you learned the family business as well.”

Angus lit up. “Yes, sir!” His delight was real – his father was welcome to read it as Angus being happy to finally be treated like his brothers. He would have been, in another life.

“Come here.” His father took a seat at the desk and Angus trotted over to his side, leaning up to look at the papers spread across it. “Of course, the silver mines themselves will go to Thomas, with Julius to assist him in making deals and supervising. The day-to-day operation of the mines, however, will fall to you.”

“Of course, sir.” Angus managed, with effort, not to roll his eyes. He was pretty sure neither Thomas nor Julius would be any good at the day-to-day work, granted, but _honestly_. What was the plan before his parents had had a third child? He didn’t think his parents thought these things through very well.

Including, of course, trusting their prodigal son with their paperwork. Angus spotted the words “Miller Labs” among the papers and smiled to himself. Then he looked up at his father, nodding industriously. The papers shifted as his father talked, and Angus’ hand sliding the paper off the desk went unnoticed. He stashed it in his pocket and nodded along, parroting back phrases whenever his father stopped to eye him until satisfied that Angus was paying attention.

* * *

Angus didn’t have much time to himself once his father took it upon himself to start training him for his “future.” He’d sit through his tutoring, thinking about Barry and trying to mimic the way he could seem interested in anything. Then, as soon as that was done, he’d report to the study and follow at his father’s heel, listening and watching.

That was okay though. It meant no one thought twice about how he would quietly go to bed early, or how he still seemed tired some days. He’d been very, very good and a perfectly obedient son, so they didn’t bother about it, and the nighttime guards put on his door disappeared somewhere at last, without comment from his parents or his brothers.

Angus opened the door in perfect silence, darkvision active as he closed it behind him. He padded close to the wall in sock-clad feet, ears straining for any snatch of sound that might give him warning – the night guards were quiet but not _that_ quiet. Down the stairs – hold the railing, if he fell everyone would hear – through the halls, and finally he reached his father’s office. He never bothered to lock it – every servant and guard in the household knew if they broke in they’d regret it. Angus was glad about that – he hadn’t thought to get Carey to teach him to pick locks during any of her visits. Next time, he decided. It might come in handy someday, even after he got home.

Glancing over his shoulder, he tiptoed to the desk and opened the first drawer, rummaging through the papers inside. The search turned up a few pages linking the McDonalds financially – nothing new to him, but it would strengthen his position. He was painfully tempted to go through the rest of the desk for more, but made himself turn away. It would take too long – and anyway, he had to be subtle. A few papers vanishing at a time might go unnoticed. Whole drawers’ worth vanishing – well, his father would definitely notice _that_. Instead, he crept back upstairs to his room and felt around under the mattress till he found the folder hidden there. Once he’d tucked the papers neatly inside, he hid it again, adjusting the mattress so it didn’t look like it had been disturbed. Then he crawled into bed and closed his eyes.

He came back again, and again, every night going through a different drawer and making off with more. The fourth night, he was digging through correspondence, skimming letters, when he caught the sound of footsteps approaching. He dropped the letters back into the drawer and shoved it closed. Angus darted to the curtains and ducked behind them; he only just remembered to cast an illusion to hide his feet as well.

His father walked into the study, still dressed. Angus winced instinctively. He was always _much_ colder and sharper when he hadn’t slept well. Tomorrow would be hard. He watched his father pull a few books off the shelf and put them down on the desk. Then he turned towards the window, and Angus suddenly remembered how much he liked the night sky.

He’d never be able to explain away his presence here. Hands shaking, he snatched for his wand and cast. A moment later hissing whispers sounded outside the door, and his father stopped and turned towards them. Angus glanced down at his now-exposed feet nervously and adjusted the sound.

“-find it-”

“Shut up, you wanna get caught?” The voices were borrowed from the adventurers who had once scared Lup into nearly exploding. As Angus made footsteps scurry away down the hall, his father stalked to the door, yanking it open and hurrying out – gone to find the guards, Angus guessed. He’d seen something in the pile of letters, and, hurriedly, he went back for it. Rifling through again, he found it – letters from Mr. Miller about the experiment that had produced No.3113, updates during the entire process. _Jackpot_. They family couldn’t pretend they hadn’t known now – not that they ever could have fooled Angus. He of all people knew they watched where their money went very carefully. With another camouflage illusion, Angus hurried back to his room and very carefully put away the letters. The folder had grown thick with his findings. Thank the gods for paper trails.

* * *

Angus searched through the halls for Julius, not particularly wanting to find him, but he couldn’t tell his mother no. He stopped one of the guards.

“Have you seen Julius?”

“I saw him near the library, sir.” Hearing someone call him “sir” made Angus want to shudder.

“I see.” He had to bite off the instinctive “thank you” and turn away briskly. _Grandpa would be ashamed_ , he thought, before quashing it. Grandpa would have understood. He had to. Anyway, he wasn’t here, was he?

As he approached the library, voices led Angus to the doorway. Julius was gesturing angrily as he tore into a servant – one Angus didn’t recognize, probably hired in the last year, while Angus was away.

“-absolutely unacceptable, we hire _professionals_ – don’t interrupt me!” Angus wondered what had set Julius off this time. He’d probably forget it within an hour, if properly distracted. “I’ve half a mind to speak to Thomas about dismissing you!” The servant flinched, distress evident on their face, and Angus immediately knocked on the door just loud enough for Julius to round on him. At his glare, Angus thought of Lucretia and her perfect, unruffled demeanor just before she let loose a great joke.

“I’m very sorry to interrupt, sir,” he said before Julius could start in on him for something, “but Mother was looking for you. She wanted to discuss the household finances with you.”

“…Right.” Julius huffed irritably. “Out of my way,” he snapped as he shouldered past the servant, and Angus quickly ducked out of the doorway as he passed. He pretended not to notice the relieved look the servant shot him and went to go find one of the books his tutor had been using. Settling down at a desk where he could be seen from the door, he started to read. Under the desk, he couldn’t stop fidgeting and thinking about scaring people who weren’t any bother to you.

That night, Angus hung a pillowcase out his window at night and waited. He hated the waiting even more with nothing to do about it. It meant more days of keeping his head down and his mouth shut and of missing the casual, affectionate contact of home, all without even his secret tasks to keep him occupied. Two days later, though, he woke up to find the pillowcase gone. Carey had seen his signal, and Angus’ heart was light even throughout listening to his mother talk about how pleased she was with his progress.

* * *

 In the morning, he got up early and pulled the folder from under the mattress, flipping through the papers inside before getting dressed and silently hurrying downstairs. He dodged around the guard posts, speeding up as he saw the front door-

“An- uh, sir?”

Angus turned to see Avi, just emerging from a doorway. He couldn’t have been awake for long, he was still stifling yawns.

“Where are you going? It’s early, and your parents told us you’re not allowed to leave the house alone. Sir,” he added quickly, and Angus hid a wince.

“I’m just stepping out. I’ll be back shortly.” He tried to mimic how Davenport sounded when he had to give orders – the really _important_ ones, where there was no room to play with the others about them. He lifted his head and looked coolly back at Avi.

“Yeah, but-”

“I _am_ a member of the family, aren’t I?” Angus raised an eyebrow, imagining smoke billowing around him. “I can leave my own house if I want to. I certainly don’t need permission from _you_.” _Sorry sorry sorry I promise I don’t mean it it’s just pretend_.

Avi flinched. “…yeah. Right. Uh, sorry sir. I’ll just…let them know you went out…?”

“That won’t be necessary. Be off with you.” Angus turned and strode towards the door, resolving to apologize the minute he got the chance. He shut it behind him and moved even faster down the path, out to the street, and then _ran_. It was finally time, and he clutched the folder like a life preserver.

Reaching the fountain in the square, Angus looked around and then ducked into the nearest alley. No.3113 grinned at him and he smiled back.

“Hello, ma’am. It’s good to see you.”

“Good to see you too, hon.”

“Is Carey ready for her part?”

“You bet. Ready to go?”

“I’ve _been_ ready,” Angus said fervently. No.3113 laughed and ruffled his hair. He took her hand and they walked out of the alley. People stared, but nobody tried to stop them as he led No.3113 through the streets, and at last, up to the guard house.

Inside, he ignored the stares and hissing whispers, glancing around. Out of a room at the end of a hallway, he saw the guard-captain emerge. Perfect.

“Ah – can I help you, dear?” the woman at the front desk asked, looking between Angus and No.3113 uncertainly.

“No thank you, ma’am,” Angus told her with a smile. “This is very important – although I’m sure it would be very safe with you too,” he added quickly. Instead he marched up to the approaching captain, whose attention was drawn away from No.3113 and down to him instead, and held out the folder. “Hello, sir. My name is Angus McDonald, of the McDonald family. I want to report my family’s unethical involvement in funding illegal magical experiments. My friend No.3113 here,” he gestured, and No.3113 gave the captain a little wave, “can explain more about those, but this is all the evidence I could find to prove their connections to Miller Laboratories. I imagine your people can find more, of course, I am only a little boy so my resources were a little limited, but it’s a start.”

The guard-captain stared at him for a second, then took the folder and flipped through it. Their eyebrows raised. “Well, I’ll be damned,” they muttered, then looked back up at him. “I’m going to need you – both of you – to wait here. We’ll have some questions for you. Corporal,” they added, turning to another guard, “find a room to put them in.”

“Of course, sir.” Angus nodded. He and No.3113 followed the corporal into another, quieter room to wait. He leaned against her, listening to the whirr of machinery. No.3113 was warm, even if she wasn’t soft like his other friends.

* * *

Once the captain came back and started asking questions, everything seemed to move dizzyingly fast, and before Angus knew it he was standing outside the mansion again, No.3113’s arm comforting around his shoulder, watching a guard scramble out of the captain’s way as they marched up to the door.

And then, suddenly, his parents and brothers were all outside, guards watching them closely – not technically in custody, not yet, but there were going to be _lots_ of difficult questions for them all to answer soon – and looking stunned. Julius had taken to arguing with Thomas, and Angus covered a grin as he watched. Then he noticed his parents staring over at him. After a moment’s consideration, he pulled away from No.3113 and sauntered over, hands in his pockets just to irritate them, and smiled cheerfully up at them.

“I don’t know _what_ you think you’re doing, but you’ve taken it too far,” his mother growled.

“I thought it was kind of obvious what I was doing, actually. I know the guards are very nice but they do wear uniforms so you know they’re here in an official capacity.”

“That’s _enough_ ,” his father snapped. “Do you even realize what you’ve _done_? To us? To the _family_?”

“Well, it’s not quite the kind of detective work I’ll do one day, but everyone has to start somewhere.” Angus’ smile widened at the looks on their faces.

“Why?” his father demanded. “Tell me _why_ – you _owe_ us _that_ much.”

Angus tilted his head, looking at his father for a long moment. “I could tell you,” he said finally. “I could explain and explain for days, and tell you everything about what you were like to me. But you wouldn’t really listen. You never did before, no matter how hard I tried, so I don’t think you would now. Anyway,” he added, “I _don’t_ owe you anything. Not anymore. If anything, you owe me. But I know you don’t even understand what you owed me for years. So I won’t bother trying. I’m sure they’ll put you in a nice prison. You and Thomas and Julius can bond over the food. I’m going home, where I belong, to people who care about me for _me_ , not for what they think I ought to be.”

“You are a _McDonald,_ Angus-”

“Yes, I am,” Angus said agreeably. “But I don’t think that means what you think it means, _William_.” His father made a choked noise of outrage. “I think it means being more like me and Grandpa, and less like you. No wonder he never got along with you.”

His mother lifted her head. “Well. I thought we had at least taught you better than to betray your own _family_ , but I see now I was wrong.”

“Oh, no, you taught me that lesson very well, _Victoria_. But not for lack of trying.” Out of the corner of his eye, Angus spotted Avi and Johann and brightened, running over to them and abandoning his parents to stare after him. “Sirs! Wait, please!” They turned to look at him as he skidded to a stop in front of them. “I’m really really sorry I acted like I did I had to pretend I was being good so they’d let me do what I needed to do but I  know I was really rude and I’m sorry about that, sir.”

Avi grinned. “I’m just glad you’re okay, kiddo.” Johann reached into his pocket and passed Avi a handful of copper coins.

“Yeah, we thought they snuck in a wizard to brainwash you or something.” Johann patted Angus’ head.

“Oh, gosh, no!” Angus shivered. “That would be awful. I’m still me!” He paused, looking back at the house. “…I think I might have lost you guys your jobs though,” he added. “I’m sorry about that too.”

“Eh, well. There’s always someone looking for grunt work. Maybe the next boss’ll be better, right?” Avi shrugged.

Johann nodded. “Yeah, I’ll probably be fine. I’m like the greatest musician ever, so.”

“That’s true. I still feel bad though.” Angus frowned. “Maybe there’s something I…oh! Oh wait! I should-” he ran over to talk to one of the guards, and then ran back. “I knew it! The house comes to me since everyone else in the line of inheritance is probably going to jail so! Avi, would you like to stay on and look after it for me while I’m gone? And anyone else who wants to can stay too. I think I can arrange that.” Angus rocked on his heels, beaming.

Avi blinked. “Well, sure, yeah, but – aren’t you staying?”

Angus shook his head. “I’m – going to stay with my friends.” He waved over at No.3113. “I don’t think I want to be here, not even with my parents going away. It’s not a good place.” He might sell it, he supposed, when he was older. He didn’t know yet – but he had time to think about it now. As soon as his part with the guards was done, he could finally go home to stay.

* * *

Carey, Killian, and No.3113 escorted Angus back into the Stateran Forest two weeks later. It took every bit of self-control Angus had not to go running ahead on his own as soon as they entered the treeline. He’d never seen anything as beautiful as the trees rising around them, or the shadows dappling the ground. He glanced back at a rustling noise and saw Carey pull out her Stone of Farspeech as they headed down the path. It chimed a connection and before anyone on the other end could speak she shouted into it.

“Special boy delivery for a buncha dorks in the woods!” There was a brief eruption of excited noise from the other end before it cut out. Angus giggled and Carey scooped him up onto her shoulders. “C’mon, let’s go meet your weird family.” She took off down the path. Killian gave a startled shout and Angus looked back to see her rush after them, No.3113 following. He grinned and waved and then hung onto Carey as she ran. It was only a few minutes before Angus could hear a distant rumbling growing louder, and he wiggled until Carey put him down and let him run towards it, shouting.

“Guys! I’m here! I’m _home_!”

He saw Barry first, and Barry rushed towards him before nearly being knocked flat as Magnus barreled past him. “ _Angus_!” He snatched Angus up and hugged him so tight Angus could hardly breathe, flattened against the soft fur that he’d missed so much. “Holy _shit_ Angus don’t ever do that again or I’ll kick your _ass_ oh my god-”

“I’m sorry sir I didn’t mean to scare you-” Angus hugged him back the best he could, which really just meant opening his arms and pressing against Magnus as hard as possible. He was too big to hug, but that was okay.

A smaller, much less furry hand closed around Angus and slid him out of Magnus’ grip. He had just enough time to recognize the shade of blue before Taako cast Blink and vanished into the Ethereal Plane with him in hand. He didn’t bother talking, just pulled Angus close and curled both hands around him. Taako was much easier to hug than Magnus was, being less broad, and Angus threw his arms around Taako’s neck and held on tight, crying openly.

“I missed you so much, I’m so sorry-”

“Shut up, just – just shut up.” Taako’s voice trembled and he held Angus tighter, until-

“Motherfucker I swear to god if you don’t give me my boy _right now_ I’m going to break my staff over your goddamn _head_!”

“Lup!” Angus cried. Taako scowled at her but tossed Angus to her. She snatched him out of the air and Angus beamed up at her, the familiar warmth surrounding him as she pressed a kiss to the top of his head and he hugged her. “I missed you!”

“Yeah, no shit, what were you _thinking_? Run away and be miserable the rest of your life? Fuck that! You’re not going anywhere!”

“Never again, ma’am,” Angus said, nodding rapidly. Lup blinked back into the Material Plane and handed him off to Lucretia, who held him close, shaking. As she did, he glimpsed Magnus hugging Carey.

“You scared us, Angus, thank goodness you’re safe,” she told him softly, and Angus hid his face against her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I wanted to protect you, I didn’t want to upset you but I thought if I stayed-”

“Shh, shh, it’s okay. It’s done. It’s over. It’s okay.”

“’Okay’ is a strong word,” Barry muttered as he tapped Lucretia’s shoulder and held out his hands. Lucretia reluctantly handed him over.

“Hey Magnus,” Killian said from behind them. “Can I have my girlfriend back now?”

“No, but I can get you on the hug train too, c’mere.”

Angus sniffled loudly. “I’m so happy to see you all again – I thought – I thought-”

“Shhh, we’ve got you, Ango.” Barry hugged him with utmost care. “You’re back, you’re safe.” Angus sniffled again.

A loud groan from closer to the ground sounded, and both Barry and Angus looked down to see Merle. “Don’t look at me to get all cuddly, kid,” he warned. Barry and Angus traded looks, then Barry set Angus down. He immediately threw his arms around Merle’s middle and held on tight, and from down here he could see the water glistening in Merle’s eyes – more like dew than tears. He grumbled something unintelligible and patted Angus’ head a little roughly. “Yeah, yeah, get off me already.”

Davenport’s smoke swirled around Angus, drawing him away from Merle and solidifying enough for him to hug the soft, pillowy form as Davenport gathered into a more-or-less bipedal shape.

“Hello, sir. I’m really sorry, I mean it.”

“I know, Angus. We’re all just glad you’re home safe.” Davenport hugged him tight. Angus gave a happy sigh, relaxing. He had them back. Now everything was perfect.

“Thank you, sir. I am too.”

Davenport hummed acknowledgement. Then he added “But you do know you’re grounded forever, right?”

Angus giggled. “Yes, sir.” Who cared? He had his _family_ back.

“Come on. Let’s go home. You can tell us all about this secret plan you cooked up on the way.” Davenport shifted forms – a dire bear almost as big as Magnus. He picked Angus up by the back of the shirt and put him on his broad back. Angus happily snuggled down into the soft smoke as the little group moved through the forest.

“It was really smart.” Carey had climbed up to ride on Magnus’ shoulder, and he lifted Killian up to sit next to her. “So you know how Angus’ family is _loaded_?”

“No!” Taako spun around to glare at Angus, walking backwards. “You’re rich and you never told us?”

“Well, you guys wouldn’t know, but the family actually owns – owned, maybe? these silver mines out north of Goldcliff, have for years – oh! Actually!” Angus sat up, beaming. “I got you something! I don’t think it’s stealing because I kind of own it now but – here!” He dug a small wooden case out of his jacket and held it up for Taako. “Open it!” Taako raised an eyebrow, then did. It opened into a box much larger than it should have – enchanted, to hold the full set of real silverware inside. Taako blinked at it, then looked down at Angus.

“It was my grandpa’s, before – well, before he died. It came to my parents after. If the first plan didn’t work my plan B was just to run home as fast as I could and I didn’t want them to have this. So I…maybe _kind of_ stole it.” Angus looked down shyly. “And then when the plan did work, I thought – maybe, you might like it? Because you like cooking and food and shiny treasures, and, um, it’s – kind of a family heirloom? And you’re…” He trailed off, embarrassed.

Taako was silent for a long moment, blinking slowly at him. Then he leaned down and patted Angus’ head wordlessly. As he pulled away again, Angus saw his eyes glistening before he said loudly “So! How’d you get rid of your rich folks, anyway?”

Angus smiled and settled back in to retell the story, with maybe a few more dramatic flourishes and exaggeratedly narrow escapes than there really had been, but nobody called him out on it.

“…and then Miss Carey snuck into the courthouse and stuck the forged documents in, so now everyone official just thinks someone else signed off on custody during the whole big mess and they’re my legal guardians now.”

“Yup,” Killian popped the ‘p’ as she spoke. “All very official, so nobody can take him and try to put him somewhere he can’t get to you from.” She slung an arm around Carey’s shoulders. “All because Carey’s the best rogue in the world.” Grinning, she kissed Carey’s cheek.

“I mean, that’s cool and all, but if she was a wizard she could just like, make them all forget about dealing with Angus,” Taako remarked, buffing his nails on his shirt.

“Oh, yeah? And how many spell slots does that take? No slots necessary for _these_ babies!” Carey waved a lockpick at Taako.

Angus grinned as the two of them fell to bickering about their chosen classes, Lup and Killian egging them on. Davenport lifted him to the ground, shifting back into his usual form, and as Magnus moved forward to reclaim him waved him off. “Just a minute, I want to talk to Angus first.”

Angus let himself be steered out of earshot of the others and looked up at Davenport. “What is it, sir?”

Davenport looked down at him and sighed. “Angus…we’re so, so glad you’re home, I know you know that. But, I need to know – are you okay?”

“Of course I’m okay, I’m home-”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I mean about what you did to get back. I know they were terrible, but they were your family for a long time. It’s okay if you’re upset about what happened – to them _and_ to you. It would be hard on anyone.” He put a hand on Angus’ shoulder. “It’s okay if you’re not okay.”

Angus waved a hand dismissively. “Really, sir, I’m fine. I mean, I was always the family disappointment anyway, this is just-”he broke off into a squeak as Davenport hugged him tight.

“ _Like hell you are_. You’re _our_ family, not theirs, and we’re so proud of you. _I’m_ so proud. You could never be a disappointment, Angus.”

Angus felt a lump in his throat and then hot tears spilled from his eyes. He clung to Davenport and hid his face against the smoky chest. It wasn’t fair, none of it was fair, and one moment in which he finally had been able to tell his parents how he really felt wouldn’t erase ten years of living with them. Davenport held him until he’d calmed down and dried his eyes. Then he formed a mouth to smile at Angus.

“You’ve got us for as long as you need us, Angus. Just remember that.” He chuckled. “Now, ready to go back to everyone else? I think Magnus is about ready to rush over here and steal you again.”

Angus took a deep breath and laughed, wiping his eyes again. “Well, we can’t have that, can we sir?” Davenport nodded and put a hand on his shoulder, leading him back to the group. Angus let Magnus scoop him up again and snuggled into his paw.

He had a family, and he loved them, and they loved him. Everything else was a problem for another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's over! 52.5k words later it's _over_. I finished it. How cool is that? 
> 
> It's not out of the question that I'll revisit the universe with oneshots and such, between us Skippy and I have worked out where pretty much every major character fits into this AU. Also, if you haven't read it yet, go check out Skippy's The Rebel And The Bear! It is a good good Magnus/Julia prequel and an absolute joy to read.
> 
> EDIT: I almost forgot to share! I made a [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/user/tflatte/playlist/3MlOK2U8Jf9wj3IkXKxHo8) playlist for this story. I've been sitting on it for weeks. If you want to see me talking about my thought process I also [posted the playlist on Tumblr.](http://tflatte.tumblr.com/post/166572705887/i-made-a-playlist-for-how-monsters-are-made-a)


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